There were plenty of talking points to come out of the Champions League draw, and for our head coach Enzo Maresca, playing two games in his native Italy stands out.
Our successful Conference League campaign did not include a trip to play Fiorentina, Italy’s representatives in that competition last season, so Maresca is set to manage Chelsea in his homeland for the first time.
Napoli and Atalanta are the two teams that lie in wait. It will be our first trip to Naples since 2012, and our first-ever game against Atalanta, the 2024 Europa League winners.
‘They are both fantastic teams,’ said Maresca.
‘Napoli just won the league with Antonio [Conte] and Atalanta in the last five or six years, with [Gian Piero] Gasparini, are for me one of the best Italian teams, also in Europe.
‘Both are very good teams and I am happy to go back to Italy, especially to eat some good food! I’m excited for the Champions League.
Maresca added: ‘We are happy to be in the draw. We are happy, very happy, because we brought this club where this club has to be: the Champions League.
‘The draw is always a draw, it’s nice to be there, and when we start the Champions League we will start thinking about that.’