Enzo Maresca makes honest Leicester return admission as Chelsea boss feelings crystal clear

Enzo Maresca has revealed he is looking forward to returning to his old club Leicester with Chelsea on Saturday, although the Italian has promised to prepare his side in the "best way and try to win."

The 44-year-old guided the Foxes to promotion during a remarkable 2023/24 campaign, with Leicester winning the Championship with 97 points. Maresca was persuaded to join Chelsea over the summer, however, following Mauricio Pochettino's exit and he has done a stellar job so far in the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

Chelsea travel to Leicester on Saturday and it will be the first time Maresca has had the opportunity to return to the King Power Stadium since his departure. It's sure to be an emotional experience for the Blues head coach and he has nothing but fond memories of his time with the Foxes.

Speaking to the media on Thursday during his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: "First of all, excited and also thankful because it was a fantastic season. I met people that are very difficult to find in football; the owner, his family, they are fantastic human beings. They care for the players, the staff, all of the people who work inside the club. You can see that.

"It was a fantastic season because I met good people and then in terms of players, it was top, it was fantastic. It was a fantastic connection between the players and the staff. This is something you need to create and I will be thankful for all of my life to that squad. Most of them, I am still in contact with them so there is still a connection. For me, it was a fantastic season."

Leicester are currently 15th in the table, having won two, drawn four and lost five of their 11 games played. Despite his emotional connection to the club, Maresca is intent on coming away from the King Power Stadium with all three points.

"It’s not an easy game, absolutely," he said. "You can see week after week that it’s always complicated, no matter which team or where you are in the table, you struggle. We’ll try to make sure we’re focused and prepared. We try to prepare the best way and try to win."

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