Mr. Billionaire! TA: Enzo transforms under Maresca, and psychologists help him make a breakthrough

June 28th, Enzo joined Premier League giant Chelsea with his outstanding performance in the World Cup of 121 million euros. TheAthletic posted a message pointing out that the players have made great efforts for this transfer and have also made him lose all his favorable feelings in Benfica. Enzo later made great efforts in proving his worth, in order to live up to the hard work and price he had put in to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

Now, Enzo has transformed, and the idea of ​​seeing him as a Jorginho replacement is a thing of the past. At the time Chelsea coach Pochettino privately questioned whether the compatriot had enough defensive ability to play a dragged "No. 6" or whether he had enough creativity to play a more offensive "No. 8", which Pochettino tended to be the latter more often.

Maresca proposed a more detailed solution: let Enzo play like an attacking midfielder, and when he loses the ball, the player retreats to Kesedo to ensure a balance in defense. The players are also healthy enough now to withstand the requirements of running the whole game under the intensity of the Premier League, which is very different from when they first joined Benfica. Under Maresca, Enzo's game style changed significantly. Last season, players' touches per 90 minutes (67.6) and attempted passes (58.1) were both the lowest in their careers. In recent months, players have demonstrated his value in Chelsea offense, creating opportunities in the frontcourt more efficiently and providing additional goal threats. Although the shooting frequency has decreased, the average shooting distance has been shortened and it is more accurate.

Enzo also said that his collaboration with sports psychologists helped him make psychological breakthroughs. In an interview with an Argentina reporter, he said: "It was not easy to come here for just one and a half years. I only stayed in Lisbon for six months and came to a new country. Everything was new, including language, and it was difficult to be with my family. In England, it was dark at 3:00 pm and daily life was not easy until I got psychological help. I started to share my feelings, and over time, I felt much better, and then everything became much easier."