Chelsea’s Magic Number: The Points Maresca Needs to Avoid Fan Backlash
Chelsea’s season is teetering on a knife edge, and head coach Enzo Maresca is under increasing pressure to secure Champions League qualification. With just 13 games left, Chelsea need at least 25 points to have a strong chance of finishing in the top five – the likely cutoff for Champions League football due to England’s high UEFA coefficient.
Original Source
The Telegraph
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
- 68 points has been the average fifth-place finish over the last 10 seasons.
- Chelsea currently have 43 points, meaning they need at least 25 more points from their final 13 matches.
- Over their last 13 games, Chelsea have picked up just 21 points, a pace that would leave them short of the top five.
- If Chelsea fail to improve on last season’s sixth-place finish, it will be seen as regression rather than progress under Maresca.
Remaining Fixtures & Reverse Results:
Chelsea's upcoming games include tough matchups against Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester United, alongside winnable ties against Southampton, Leicester, and Fulham. In their reverse fixtures against these opponents earlier this season, Chelsea earned just 22 points, which would likely not be enough to reach their Champions League goal.
- A win against Aston Villa on Saturday could shift momentum—just as it did last February under Mauricio Pochettino.
- Failure to reach at least 68 points would all but confirm Chelsea missing out on the Champions League, intensifying fan discontent.
- With injuries piling up, Maresca faces an uphill task to steer Chelsea to a strong finish.
A loss at Villa Park could leave Chelsea facing another season outside the Champions League, raising serious doubts about Maresca’s tenure. The next few weeks will define Chelsea’s season—and his future.
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Photo Credit
Getty Images/Shaun Brooks
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
Co-founder of The1905Club. A life long Chelsea fan and season ticket holder for over twenty years. Now residing in Poland, this doesn't stop Tosh from watching every minute of every game.
