'I see him as a midfielder, since day one' - Maresca praises 'leader' Reece James
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca spoke about the great performance of Reece James as a midfielder in Chelsea's Europa League round of 16 first leg win over Copenhagen.
Chelsea took a step towards qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday after claiming a 2-1 away win over Copenhagen in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
The Blues were able to claim victory thanks to second-half goals from Enzo Fernandez and Reece James, the latter being used by Maresca in midfield instead of on the wing.
The Chelsea captain played a great game in a position he is not used to, and Enzo Maresca explained after the victory on Danish soil why he decided to use James as a midfielder.
"Reece James is a leader, a top player. The day after I signed in at Chelsea, I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder. I see Reece as a midfielder. Since day one. I sent him a clip when he was on holiday about how he can be a midfielder," he said.