Chelsea vs Wrexham: Phil Parkinson Delivers Subtle Jibe at Enzo Maresca’s Side After Preseason Draw
- Chelsea Football Club kicked off their 2024/25 pre-season tour with a stalemate against League One outfit, Wrexham
- A late goal from French midfielder, Lesley Ugochukwu, would ensure Enzo Maresca's side kicked off their US tour with a draw
- Wrexham manager, Phil Parkinson, subtly aimed a taunt at Chelsea following his side's result against the London club
Chelsea's pre-season began on a less-than-ideal note under new manager Enzo Maresca, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Wrexham in their opening fixture.
The match, held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, quickly came to life when new signing Marc Guiu teed up Christopher Nkunku to give Chelsea the lead.
However, Enzo Maresca's side was pegged back and eventually had to rally for a draw after second-half goals from Luke Bolton and Jack Marriot put Wrexham in the lead.
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A late goal from French U20 midfielder, Lesley Ugochukwu, was enough to help Maresca's team salvage a draw.
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In the aftermath of the fixture, Wrexham's manager, Phil Parkinson, appeared to deliver a subtle jibe at Chelsea's performance on the night.
Wrexham coach aims jibe at Chelsea?
In his post-match press conference, as captured by BBC football expert, Nizaar Kinsella, the Wrexham manager praised his team's performance and subtly taunted Chelsea, by highlighting the financial gap between the two clubs.
"You have to put it into context. They've invested so much in their squad, and we were in the National League just two years ago. We went toe-to-toe with them and could have won the game."
According to data courtesy of Fotmob, Wrexham managed to restrict Chelsea to just three shots on target despite the Premier League team's impressive roster of talent.
Data from Transfermarkt reveals that Chelsea has spent a staggering €1.08 billion on transfers since Todd Boehly took over in 2022. In contrast, Wrexham's expenditure over the same period amounts to only around €9 million.
Chelsea will look to improve their form on their US tour when they face Scottish champions Celtic on July 27.
Plan For Christopher Nkunku
In a recent report, Briefly News also reported that Maresca revealed his plans for Nkunku as he prepares for his debut as Chelsea manager. The Italian has been charged with maximizing the potential of Chelsea’s costly squad.
A primary focus will be seamlessly integrating Nkunku into the team after the Frenchman was sidelined for much of last season due to injury.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
