Maresca backs Mudryk despite ‘slow progress’

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has admitted that Mykhailo Mudryk’s development has been “slow” following his sublime performance against Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League.

The Ukraine international scored his first goal of the season on Thursday evening, courtesy of a back-post header, while he also provided two assists during a 4-1 win for Chelsea.

Mudryk was excluded from the Blues’ matchday squad to face Liverpool on Sunday, but he returned to action with arguably his best performance since his €70 million move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

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“I’m very happy, not for me but for him [Mudryk],” Maresca admitted after the match.

“We as a staff, we spend a long, long time to help the players; not only Misha but the whole squad. Since we started, we are working with Misha and all the wingers to arrive in the box, into the position where Misha scored.

“He struggled to arrive there and now he is starting to arrive there. That is where we are going to score goals.

“It’s for him, it’s for Jadon [Sancho], it’s for Noni [Madueke], it’s for Pedro [Neto] – all of the wingers. They need to be in position because the ball is going to arrive in that position.”

READ MORE: Maresca unsure if Mudryk can cut it at Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk’s progress has been “slow”

Mudryk’s goal against Panathinaikos was just his eighth in 67 Chelsea appearances, and Maresca has revealed that the Ukranian’s progress has been gradual since his arrival this summer.

“We want the best for Misha,” Maresca continued. “Since day one, we are trying to help Misha.

“Probably for him, he is one of the guys that the learning process is more slow compared to the rest but he is improving. I’m sure that slowly, slowly we will have Misha scoring more goals and being important for us.”

Mudryk is a regular starter in Chelsea’s second-string cup team, but he has only racked up 81 minutes of Premier League action so far this season, with summer signing Jadon Sancho currently preferred on the left flank.