Madueke has been a consistent starter for Chelsea this season but was unexpectedly benched for the victory over Aston Villa. ..Continue Reading
He returned to the starting lineup and played a significant role in the 5-1 win over Southampton, contributing to two goals.
Even after celebrating the win, Maresca didn’t hesitate to point out Madueke’s training levels and his need for a more ruthless edge in front of goal.
Madueke, however, took the criticism in stride and expressed his appreciation for Maresca’s challenging approach to player development.
“He is honest and truthful,” Madueke said of the manager. “He tells the truth and he is a man you can trust. That’s all you want from a coach.
“He is not necessarily a coach that is trying to be best friends with everyone, but he is a coach that is straight with everyone and fair to everyone. That’s what you need at a top club like Chelsea.”
Madueke’s goal and assist were pivotal in securing a victory that lifted Chelsea to second place in the Premier League, putting them ahead of title contenders Arsenal on goal difference.
Despite the widespread belief that the Gunners are Liverpool’s main challengers for the title, Chelsea has consistently downplayed their prospects of winning the trophy.
“Of course we are up for [the title race], whether we are in it or not is a different question,” Madueke continued.
“However, we are taking every game as it comes. We are trying to progress and trying to get better. We are focusing on ourselves, really, and really trying to improve.
“We won 5-1 and in the dressing room we are very happy with that, but we also know that we can be a lot better. It’s really focusing on us, focusing on training and trying to improve.”
