Head coach Enzo Maresca has disclosed that the trip evokes conflicting feelings in him as Chelsea gets ready for their Conference League encounter against Panathinaikos in Greece. Maresca, who played for Panathinaikos’ rivals Olympiacos for a season in 2009, clarified that although his time in Greece was generally good, it is also connected to a very personal experience.
Maresca’s Conflicted Attitudes Toward Greece
“My return to Greece is a little bittersweet. The feeling is a little bit mixed.” thinking back to his successful playing days with Olympiacos. But he also talked about the sadness he was feeling at the time, bringing up the untimely death of Antonio Puerta, his old teammate from Sevilla.
“I was here in Greece, unfortunately I lost a friend on the pitch when I was at Sevilla, and the first game we played after that, we were already here in Athens.”
Puerta’s death in 2007 left a lasting impression on Maresca and the football community after he fell on the field during a Sevilla game. Thus, the sensation is a little conflicted.
“Even though the season in Athens was amazing, I always feel a little depressed when I return here.”
