Enzo Maresca was pleased on three counts after the Blues’ 3-0 win over ES Tunis. The first was because of our performance, the second was that several players had been rested, and the third was that our place in the Round of 16 had been secured.
Going into our final Group D fixture, the Blues knew a draw would be enough to claim our place in the knockout stage and book a match against Benfica in Charlotte on Saturday. Yet there was no sense that we were ready to settle for a point.
We controlled the opening 45 minutes and eventually broke the deadlock in stoppage time through a Tosin Adarabioyo header. Liam Delap quickly added a second via a fine solo strike to double our advantage before the interval.
Our second-half display was one of control and composure, with Tunis not threatening our goal. And we were able to add gloss to our victory in the dying moments as Tyrique George fired home.
‘The performance, for me, was good,’ the Blues head coach said. ‘It was not easy and until we scored the first goal, it was difficult to break their defensive line down.
‘We were quite patient, and when we scored the first goal, the game became a little more open and a little easier for us.’
The Blues head coach said he would make changes to his starting XI, and was true to his word with eight alterations made to the team that started our defeat to Flamengo.
Yet the rotation did not impact our performance, and Maresca was pleased to have rested several members of his squad.
‘It’s impossible not to rotate players because playing every three days in these conditions means it’s not possible for them to play every game. The ones that played were good and we’ve given some rest to Moi, Trev, Levi, Cucu, Cole, Pedro, many players. It’s important to recover the energy and try to win the next game.'
Tonight’s victory has set up a date with Benfica on Saturday, a game which will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Maresca knows the Portuguese giants will not be easy opponents, but is happy to have the opportunity to reach the quarter-finals.
He added: ‘It’s important for us [to progress] because 32 clubs started in this tournament, now we are going down to 16. There are clubs in the last five or six years that have played Champions League finals, like Atletico Madrid, who are back home.
‘So we need to be proud and happy – and now we are in the Round of 16, the target is to go through to the last eight.'
On Benfica specifically, Maresca added: ‘We know Benfica is a top club, with a top manager, and top players. It’s going to be tough, but from 32 we are now into the Round of 16. And our next target is go into the quarter-finals.'