Chelsea Boss Maresca Expresses Pitch Concerns Ahead of Conference League Semi-Final in Sweden

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has voiced serious concerns about the artificial playing surface his team will face in Thursday's UEFA Conference League semi-final against Djurgården in Stockholm.

The match, set to take place at the 3Arena, has drawn criticism from all sides over the quality of its synthetic turf. Even Djurgården’s own head coach Jani Honkavaara recently slammed the pitch as “horrible” following a league fixture, while striker August Priske used more colourful language, calling it “a shitty pitch.”

Maresca, speaking to the media after Chelsea trained on the surface Wednesday evening, didn’t hide his anxiety about the potential impact of the turf on his players — particularly with injuries in mind.

“I’m a little bit worried, yes,” said the Italian. “This surface is completely different from natural grass, and we’ve seen players — even those used to it — voice their frustrations. For us, coming in fresh, there’s definitely a risk.”

Despite his concerns, Maresca made it clear that Chelsea would not use the conditions as an excuse. “We’re here to compete. It’s a European semi-final and that demands full commitment, regardless of the circumstances.”

Chelsea remain overwhelming favourites to reach the final, boasting a squad valued at more than 40 times that of their Swedish hosts. The Premier League side also come into the tie with the added incentive of becoming the first club to win all major European competitions, should they go all the way.

Maresca, however, rejected the notion that Chelsea’s financial clout guarantees victory. “Money doesn’t win you games or trophies — performance does. We respect every opponent, and we’ll have to earn our place in the final.”

The fixture comes at a critical juncture in Chelsea’s season. They host Liverpool on Sunday in a pivotal Premier League clash, as the race for Champions League qualification heats up. But Maresca insists his focus is firmly on Europe.

“We’re not in a position to rest players,” he said. “This competition is important for the club and for me personally. We want to go to the final, and once there, win it.”

Chelsea will be without Christopher Nkunku and Robert Sánchez, who stayed behind in London due to minor injuries. However, the rest of the squad travelled to Sweden, and Maresca is expected to field his strongest available lineup.

The Blues suffered a surprise loss to Legia Warsaw in the last round’s second leg but progressed on aggregate. That stumble, combined with the tricky conditions in Stockholm, serves as a timely reminder that nothing can be taken for granted.

With history in sight and expectations high, Maresca knows the next 180 minutes — and possibly more — could define his debut season at Stamford Bridge.

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