Chelsea Beat Benfica, But Maresca Away From Mourinho's Heritage At Stamford Bridge

Enzo Maresca is under the shadow of Jose Mourinho despite bringing Chelsea to victory over Benfica (Instagram/@maresca).

JAKARTA - Jose Mourinho hinted at many Chelsea managers who lived in his shadow.

Chelsea's unconvincing 1-0 victory over Benfica reminded of the work that Enzo Maresca still had to do to get the same level of admiration as the Portuguese coach.

This is a rather strange position for Maresca. After all, he is European and world champion after winning the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup 2025 in recent months.

However, when he recorded preparations for this match, Chelsea supporters did not sing Maresca's name.

In the second minute, the Blues supporters stood up to sing Mourinho's song of praise, the man who gave them three Premier League titles and gave Chelsea a streak of victories that lasted throughout the Roman Abramovich era.

The same supporters remain divided in their view of current managers - not because they are unhappy with possible changes to come.

However, they don't believe Maresca's style of football is the best way to maximize the squad's potential is so expensive.

A narrow victory over Benfica at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, will not ease the debate.

Chelsea won the game with the only goal created in the 18th minute when Pedro Neto's sweep ball headed for Alejandro Garnacho.

The former Manchester United winger's cross turned into Benfica's goal after Richard Rios' effort to clear the ball failed.

Neto looks agile, Moises Caicedo is back very influential in midfield, and Garnacho performed brilliantly before finally dimping as the match went on. However, collectively, they are inconclusive.

Dodi Lukebagio hit the post early in the game and Fredrik Aursnes failed to complete a promising move in the second half.

This made Benfica tense because it had lost three times to the previous four matches.

After losing to Bayern Munich in the first match of the Champions League, Chelsea needed this victory. Even though the game was very bad, the result of the match was still the most important.

To be honest, there are some mitigating factors as reasons for not performing optimally. They are not reinforced by four centre-backs, key creator Cole Palmer, and new player Liam Delap, while Joao Pedro is only considered fit enough to play in the last half-hour.

However, Pedro still couldn't finish the game as two yellow cards made him the third Chelsea player to be sent off in four games.

These factors partially encourage Maresca to choose a team with an average age of 24, the youngest line-up in the Champions League in Chelsea history.

Collectively, they only performed 42 times in the tournament. In comparison, this is Mourinho's 146th match in the Champions League.

"We lost at Bayern Munich, but I think his team is good. We are dealing directly there against a team that has always been in the quarter-finals and semi-finals in the last five, six, or seven years."

"For us, the Champions League is a journey that starts this season and hopefully from game to game, we can get better."

"We need victory for various reasons. However, tonight's victory was indeed fun."

"Sometimes you need to learn to win in a bad way like at the end of the game. At least we learn how to win games with a red card," said Maresca.

Mourinho always has a formative element in a situation like this. He doesn't always get a warm welcome at his former club.

However, he showed sincerity when his contribution to the club was recognized by the grateful supporters.

Seeing him return to the dressing room he once lived as Chelsea Manager during the period between 2004 and 2007 and 2013 and 2015 was a very interesting sight.

Mauricio Pochettino exchanged the home technical area at the start of the season--2023/2024-to occupy a more central position on the pitch so that Mourinho's position on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, will feel very familiar.

Since arriving in London on Monday, September 29, 2025, many Chelsea staff and officials have been looking for Mourinho for a moment to celebrate his return.

However, only the German referee, Daniel Siebert, gave him a yellow card during injury time for protesting violations with his trademark.

"I didn't fill myself with these memories. I filled myself with wins," Mourinho said after the game.

Previously, Mourinho tried to act "which was a bit unnecessary" as a mediator when Benfica's supporters threw objects at their former player, Enzo Fernandez, when trying to take a corner kick.

Fernandez then entered the pitch in stoppage time to pick up the ball, apparently just to make sure he remains the center of attention.

It was part of the 62-year-old coach's composition, one of the reasons why so many fans idolize him and his successors in west London struggle to match his lasting influence. Maresca is the latest manager to try.