Strange decision. Chelsea head coach admits they have no goal of qualifying for the Champions League

Last season, Chelsea showed quite inconsistent results, only managing to secure sixth place and a spot in the final qualifying round of the Europa Conference League towards the end of the campaign.

At a time when the club should be aiming to climb back to the top of the league table, the head coach is expressing a completely different outlook. Enzo Maresca acknowledged that Chelsea is not setting a goal of qualifying for the Champions League this season, as the club's owners have opted for a more long-term approach to success.

"I can say that no one at the club has asked me for Champions League qualification this year. No one has said that we need to finish in the top four," his words were quoted by the Daily Mail.

"They said we need to take it step by step."

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When asked if the club's management had set any objectives for the season, Maresca replied:

"Just to have the feeling that we are moving in the right direction. That's already a very good goal, when the owner, sporting directors, manager, and players all share the same idea—that we're heading in the same direction."

It's worth noting that Chelsea underwent a managerial change this summer, with Enzo Maresca replacing Mauricio Pochettino. This is the same coach who led Leicester to a sensational Premier League title in the 2015/16 season. It's quite surprising to hear such a statement from a coach, backed by the club owners' decision.