Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has heaped praise on midfielder Enzo Fernandez as the Argentine prepares to face his former club, Benfica, in Saturday’s Round of 16 clash at the FIFA Club World Cup in Charlotte.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Maresca lauded the 24-year-old’s progress and professionalism since joining Chelsea in 2023.
“I’m very pleased with Enzo, first because he’s a polite, respectful young man, and also because he’s been working hard both on and off the pitch since day one,” Maresca said.
Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for a British-record £107 million ($147 million), has become a key figure under Maresca. After coming off the bench to score in Chelsea’s 2-0 opening win against LAFC, he has started both subsequent matches and contributed two assists in a 3-0 victory over Esperance of Tunisia, which secured the Blues’ place in the knockout stage.
A central figure in Chelsea’s fourth-place Premier League finish and their UEFA Conference League triumph, Fernandez has tallied 14 goals and assists combined in 2025.
“At the start of the season, he struggled a bit to adapt to our style, but since then, he’s been fantastic not just in his performances but also in his numbers,” Maresca noted.
“I’ve always said I prefer several attacking players scoring 10-12 goals over one striker scoring 40. Enzo’s contribution has been top-class, and I’m confident he’ll be even better next season.”
Chelsea hold a strong record against Benfica, having won all three of their previous competitive encounters, including the 2013 Europa League final. Still, Maresca remains cautious of the Portuguese giants, who topped their group after defeating Bayern Munich.
“Benfica have always shown they’re a major force in Europe,” he said. “Beating Bayern in their last game proves their quality. Every match in this competition is challenging, and anything can happen.”
If Chelsea advance past Benfica, they will head to Philadelphia for a quarter-final fixture on July 4.
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