Conference League glory would prove Chelsea are back: Maresca

The Blues haven't won a major trophy since the 2021 Champions League, when Thomas Tuchel was in charge at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's last domestic trophy was the 2018 FA Cup and they haven't won the Premier League since 2017. The west London club are still waiting to win their first silverware since Todd Boehly's consortium took over from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

Thursday's Conference semi-final second leg against Swedish side Djurgarden at Stamford Bridge offers a chance to move a step closer to a trophy. Maresca's side hold a 4-1 lead over the Swedish team from the first leg. Should they reach the final on May 28 they would be strong favourites to defeat either Real Betis or Fiorentina and become the first club to win all three of UEFA's current competitions.

"Winning the Conference League trophy this season is a statement that you can say Chelsea is back," Maresca told reporters on Wednesday. "If Real Madrid or different clubs don't play in the Conference, it's because they don't deserve to play in the Conference. If we play in it, it's because it's where we are. We need to start from there.

"If you're in the Conference, that is the only trophy you can win. We are going to try our best on Thursday. It's a good starting point for a winning mentality." Maresca has come under fire from fans in his first season since arriving from Leicester. The Italian has been criticised for his cautious tactics but he has fifth-placed Chelsea on course to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in the Premier League.

Maresca has previously said his young squad need to "live experiences" in order to mature and become capable of challenging for major honours. Last season's League Cup final defeat to a depleted Liverpool side at Wembley was the club's first showpiece since Boehly and Clearlake Capital's £1 billion recruitment drive began.

That painful loss came with Mauricio Pochettino in charge. Maresca has had a much easier ride in the Conference League, in which Chelsea have cruised to the semi-finals by thrashing teams from Armenia, the Republic of Ireland and Kazakhstan among other underwhelming opponents. "It's important because it shapes you," Maresca said.

"It's nice to win trophies because you learn how to win. Chelsea is a big club with many important trophies in the past, but we need to learn how to win with this squad. "I try to convince the players that day by day you have to build a winning mentality."