Maresca aiming to spring a surprise against 'best in world' PSG
Chelsea take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final on Sunday, with Enzo Maresca acknowledging the difficulties facing his team.
Enzo Maresca believes that Paris Saint-Germain are the "best team in the world", but is confident his Chelsea team can spring a surprise in the Club World Cup final.
PSG are looking to cap a fine season with yet another trophy, having won the domestic treble and their first Champions League crown in 2024-25.
Dating back to the Coupe de France final, PSG have won their last five knockout round matches by an aggregate score of 18-0, and are the overwhelming favourites on Sunday.
Indeed, in the Club World Cup knockouts, they outscored their opponents 10-0, while their 16 goals at the tournament are tied for the most in a single edition of the competition.
PSG's 4-0 win over Real Madrid last time out brought up their 48th victory since the start of 2024-25, surpassing their previous highest total in a single season (47 in 2015-16).
Despite that, Maresca believes his players can clinch a second Club World Cup title, but acknowledged his side must adopt a chess-like strategy.
"I love to play chess and watch chess," Maresca told reporters.
"I feel football is like a game of chess and when the rival makes a move, you have to counteract it and I think this will be like a chess game.
"They [PSG] are a top team in Europe and the world, maybe the best in the world, but every game is different, and we will try to do a good game.
"For sure it will be difficult, but all games are difficult. Fluminense beat Inter and they reached the Champions League final; Al Hilal beat Manchester City.
"Botafogo beat PSG in this competition and did a very good job, but our style is different to Botafogo.
"PSG is the best team in the world, and they have shown that in this tournament, showed it in France and in the Champions League.
"Of course, it'll be a difficult game for us, but we are preparing ourselves in the best way possible.
"We have maximum respect for them. I said before that I really enjoy watching them, but we are here to do our best and try to win the final.
"All games are difficult, so we have to take them in our own way, but we are not changing anything we have already done.
"We have our style, and we have shown how we want to do things."
The two teams will face each other for the first time since PSG beat the Blues 4-2 on aggregate in the last 16 of the 2015-16 Champions League.
Prior to that, Chelsea had lost only one of six all-time meetings with the Parisiens, though Luis Enrique's team have had recent success against English sides.
This will be their eighth match against English opposition in 2025 alone, having recorded five wins and two losses against English sides in the Champions League this year.
PSG are the third team outside the UK to play eight matches against English teams in a single calendar year, joining Reggiana in 1978 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.
