Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has announced that his team will present a guard of honor to newly crowned champions Liverpool on Sunday afternoon at Stamford Bridge. Last weekend, the Reds crushed Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 at Anfield to secure the Premier League title with four games remaining.
Although it is not required, it has become common practice for teams that have won the championship before the season’s last weekend to have their opponents acknowledge their accomplishment prior to games. Liverpool received this treatment for seven games in 2020 after winning the championship handily and finishing the season with 99 points.
Chelsea manager Maresca responded, “It’s a tradition that you have to do and we want to do because they won the league and they deserve that, and hopefully we can be there (winning the league) very soon,” when asked if the Reds could anticipate a guard of honor this weekend.
Chelsea, won won 4-1 at Djugarden in their Conference League semi-final first leg on Thursday night, remain in the hunt for a top-five finish and Champions League qualification, and currently stand in fifth place ahead of Nottingham Forest on goal difference.
Third and seventh place are separated by just five points, and the Londoners have yet to play Manchester United at home. They have also visited nearby rivals Newcastle United and Forest.
And Maresca also added: “We know how important this game is for us. They (Liverpool) have shown how good they been all season. At home we have been better during this season in terms of results.
“It’s always nice to play in this kind of game, but I don’t think they (Liverpool) will be any different or relaxed because they have already won the title.
“They are a very good team and deserved to win the Premier League this season. The gap is there, you can see clearly. My feeling is we are in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be smaller and closer next season.
“Perhaps the difference (between the sides) is that they have probably been a lot more consistent compared to us over the entire season.
“For parts of the season, we were very good. Then we lost some games, and this is the main reason why.
“Liverpool did not lose many games in these periods. Also, in terms of experienced players who know how to win games and these kinds of things, they have something more compared to us.”