Enzo Maresca makes Club World Cup prediction after Chelsea’s group stage opponents named

Enzo Maresca has reacted to Chelsea’s Club World Cup draw as the Blues have found out their group stage opponents for the 2025 tournament.

Chelsea will travel to North America to play the tournament next summer, and now know that they will face Flamengo, ES Tunis and Club Leon in their group.

Having lifted the 2021 Champions League under Thomas Tuchel, the Blues were one of the first teams to qualify for the new-look competition in 2025.

Maresca will be tasked with the opportunity to lift just the second Club World Cup in Chelsea’s history as they prepare for the tournament, with the final set to be played in Miami.

However, the Italian has admitted that he does not know much about the competition and will not be paying attention to it until the end of the season.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Tottenham, Maresca was asked to provide his reaction to the draw and went on to make a prediction about the final.

“I said, not only me, but we said there are so many games,” he said about the schedule. “We will see when we are close to May, June or July and from there we will prepare for that competition.

“I know the Group (Stage opponents) because of yesterday’s draw but I don’t know who will start, finish or who will play. I don’t have any idea yet. When we start in June, in May I will see. Now, I don’t know! I know the group, no more than that.”

Maresca was then asked about his side’s pre-season plans and if they will have time off, before he hinted at a place in the final which he is eyeing up for his side.

He said: “We have some day off in case we play the final but I don’t know.”

While Chelsea are on fine form heading into the festive fixture period, there is a long way to go until the end of the season and nobody can predict what will happen over the coming months.

Chelsea fans will be hoping that the Club World Cup won’t be the first trophy that Maresca gets his hands on as Blues boss, with his side competing for the Premier League, Conference League and FA Cup before next summer.