Chelsea defeated Fulham 2-1 in the 33rd round of the Premier League, bringing Enzo Maresca’s squad closer to a Champions League qualification spot.

Enzo Maresca said in the post-match press conference: “I am very happy with the performance that led to the team’s victory. It’s good for the players to fight until the last minute to score and secure a winning goal.”

Malo Gusto’s Injury
His injury is serious—a muscular issue. Unfortunately, it appears to be a muscle injury.

Reece James’ Substitution
He played 90 minutes two days ago and was on the pitch for 45 minutes today. This is an important moment because we can now start playing him every three days. The reason for his substitution was that he played 90 minutes recently.

Why Was Enzo Fernández Not Here?
It was purely a technical decision.

Finding New Goal Scorers
Fortunately, it wasn’t Cucurella this time. I’m very happy for Mykhailo Mudryk. He works hard. We all know Pedro Neto is better on the right, but we also have Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho, so I try to make decisions game by game.

Were You Confident of Winning?
I was completely positive. The team was creating chances and performing well. Sometimes you need a bit of luck. Mudryk’s goal gave us motivation. The team performed well, and I was fully confident.

Not Celebrating with Fans After the Match
I was very happy because winning at the end feels great. The players deserved to celebrate with the fans, which is why I left the pitch early. It was a good moment for the players and fans.

The Importance of Pedro Neto’s Winning Goal
Pedro’s goal doesn’t change the season. I’ve said before, in the last three years, we’ve never been in a Champions League qualification spot, and this goal doesn’t change that. It’s a good season, and Neto’s goal gives us the chance to think about qualification again.