Chelsea told they can emulate PSG's Champions League triumph with young squad but club legend fires Enzo Maresca warning to Blues

Chelsea wrapped up their 2024–25 campaign with a flurry of positive results, including Champions League qualification secured with a dramatic victory over Nottingham Forest on the final day. Just days later, the Blues capped their season by lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy following an emphatic 4-1 triumph over Real Betis.

Remarkably, Chelsea achieved these feats while fielding the youngest average starting XI in Premier League history - a clear indicator of their long-term vision under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital regime. With a roster full of emerging stars and a revamped backroom structure, the club has embarked on a new chapter of strategic rebuilding, with Maresaca masterminding their progress.

Reflecting on Chelsea’s recent progress, Makelele expressed that the managerial turnover and sweeping changes at the club initially raised concerns, but he now sees signs of growing stability under new head coach Maresca.

"I think Chelsea are doing well. They are starting at the beginning [of their project], very slowly," he said to BBC.

"In the beginning, they changed a lot of players and managers. The new manager [Enzo Maresca] made sure Chelsea finished the season in a good way. They qualified for the Champions League and won a trophy. I think this new Chelsea can be successful now."

Makelele emphasised the importance of allowing Maresca the time to implement his ideas. Drawing parallels with PSG’s decision to back Luis Enrique, the Frenchman suggested Chelsea should follow suit by giving Maresca the room to grow and lead.

"We need to wait for Chelsea to win the Premier League again, and they are starting to build a strategy and some stability," he said. "But, for me, the most important thing is they need to leave Maresca working in a good way, like Paris St-Germain did with Luis Enrique.

"They need stability if they are to fight for a title. I am a Chelsea fan, and I was worried when I saw Chelsea struggling in the beginning [under new owners Clearlake-Boehly], but now they are on a positive path and can return to the Chelsea of the past, which was at a high level."

Chelsea’s rejuvenation will soon be tested on the global stage. The club is set to participate in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off this weekend. Drawn into a challenging group, the Blues will face Los Angeles FC, South American giants Flamengo, and Tunisian outfit ES Tunis in the group stage.