Tournament football can be cruel. It can also act as the making of managers. Enzo Maresca, like Thomas Tuchel before him, will be hoping the latter rings true as his side close in on their date with destiny.
Chelsea have clawed their way to within 90 minutes of becoming, by definition, world champions. Barring a six-minute blip against Flamengo, sparking a loss that proved incredibly beneficial for the Blues’ wider campaign, they have bossed the inaugural Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with the imperious Paris Saint-Germain. Maresca’s tactical philosophy is slowly beginning to take shape in a way fans can get behind. Suddenly, “Maresca ball” doesn’t feel like such a chore to watch.
