'Impossible to train', says Maresca as Chelsea face extreme heat in Philadelphia

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS OF CHELSEA MANAGER ENZO MARESCA EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT HIS PLAYERS TRAINING IN EXTREME HEAT IN PHILADELPHIA AHEAD OF THEIR GROUP D CLASH AGAINST ESPERANCE SPORTIVE DE TUNIS

COMPLETE SCRIPT AND SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW

SHOWS: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 23, 2025) (FIFA/DAZN - See restrictions before use)

1. CHELSEA MANAGER ENZO MARESCA WALKING IN FOR PRESS CONFERENCE

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA COACH ENZO MARESCA ON THE EXTREME HEAT IN PHILADELPHIA, SAYING:

"It's almost impossible to make or to train to make sessions because of the weather. Now we are trying just to save energy for the game. This morning's session has been very, very, very short. It has been just about tomorrow's game, planned for tomorrow and that's it. No more than that because as you can see, It's quite difficult to, it's not easy with these conditions, with this temperature, but we are going to try to do our best."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA COACH ENZO MARESCA ON ASKED IF IT'S AN EXCUSE, SAYING:

"No, but it's not. Anyway, we know each other from one year ago. I always try to avoid excuses. I always try to be honest. It's not about excuses. It's about reality. It's an excuse when it's not hot and we say that it's hot. That an excuse. But if hot, it's hot and it's difficult to work with this temperature. But we are here, we are trying to do our best and we're going to try to win tomorrow's game. This is the only thing that we can say and we can do. Now in terms of the session, it's impossible to do a normal session. Otherwise, you don't save energy for the game. So we're going to try again. We did the session this morning, quite short, prepared the game and tomorrow we're going to try to do our best to go, as I said, to the next stage."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA COACH ENZO MARESCA ON HIS TEAM BEING UNDER PRESSURE TO QUALIFY FOR KNOCKOUTS, SAYING:

"Now yeah, when you are Chelsea manager or Chelsea player, Any game you don't win, you are on the line. So it's not about tomorrow. It's about we are used to that. Tomorrow it's a game that we need to do the right things to go through to the next stage and we're going to try for sure our best."

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA COACH ENZO MARESCA ON THEIR OPPONENTS ESPERANCE SPORTIVE DE TUNIS, SAYING:

"In terms of the team, I watched both games. I watched some games also in their league and I watched both games. Even against Flamengo, they were in the game until the end. They conceded the second goal in the last 15, 20 minutes. They were losing 1-0. So they did a good game against Los Angeles. They won and they did a good game. So a good game. So for sure, it's going to be a tough game for this and for more conditions. At the end, I think, yes, for sure, the fans, they are important. But at the end, the players, they want to play the game against each other. And we're going to, as I said, we're going to try to win the game and to go through to the next stage."

10. WHITE FLASH

11. MARESCA LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE

STORY: The grueling North American summer heat and the toll of a long season have forced Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to adjust his team as they prepare for their Group D clash against Esperance de Tunis  at the Club World Cup on Tuesday (June 24).

Maresca said the extreme conditions in Philadelphia has made it “impossible to train” ahead of the winner-takes-all encounter.

Chelsea's players had what Maresca described as a "very short" training session at Subaru Park, an open stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania just outside Philadelphia.

The Blues look to bounce back from  a 3-1 loss to Flamengo last week.

Tunis having beaten LAFC 1-0 in their last game, both of these sides are on three points ahead of the final match.

(Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)