This week promises to reveal many things about Chelsea's ambitions this season. In the next 7 days, both Barcelona and Arsenal will go to Stamford Bridge, testing the ability to face the world's top teams or exposing the weaknesses of a team that is still in the process of completion.
In that sense, the game against Burnley, the Premier League opening after the international break, is a game that needs to be handled safely rather than making a statement from The Blues. Although it was not easy, Chelsea did what needed to be done. Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez brought a 2-0 victory, helping Enzo Maresca's team rise to second place in the Premier League rankings.
Whether Chelsea can maintain their form against Arsenal will be verified when they face Mikel Arteta's team next week. However, any team ambitious to win the championship must know how to win away from home against newly promoted teams - a challenge Chelsea have overcome.
"It was a difficult match for many reasons. After the international break, playing at 12:30 am at Burnley is always a challenge. But I am very satisfied with the way we played. Not conceding a goal is not simple" - Maresca said.
The most notable thing in Chelsea's first 30 minutes was a humorous situation when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez kicked the ball from Enzo Fernandez's shoulder. However, even before the ball rolls, Chelsea's individual quality is still clearly shown, and this highlight is not the presence of Cole Palmer.
Marc Cucurella, moving from left-back to midfield, caused Burnley many difficulties throughout the match. It was this smart move that opened up the opportunity for the first goal. The ball was passed back to Jamie Gittens, who had been quiet up to that point, and his accurate pass put Pedro Neto in a good position to head the ball to score.
This was Chelsea's seventh headed goal of the season, equal to Arsenal. Burnley manager Scott Parker is sure to realise the harshness of the Premier League. And this is another lesson in class stature that he and his students are facing.
"Overall, I am satisfied with the team's performance. We played very well in the first half. Perhaps one of those chances needed to be converted into a goal, as the game changed a bit in the second half.
Despite the disappointment, I still appreciate the way the players controlled the game against high-quality opponents. Chelsea played very effectively and deserved the victory" - Parker shared after the third consecutive defeat.
Burnley played hard and created enough chances to score at least one goal, leaving Parkers regretful with a remarkable finish from Zian Flemming. Meanwhile, Chelsea showed much sharper sharpness in taking advantage of opportunities, turning rare moments into decisive goals, thereby winning all 3 points worth it.
With the score at 1-0 and the Turf Moor crowd increasingly enthusiastic, Chelsea ended all hope of Burnley with Enzo Fernandez's decisive goal just two minutes before the end of the match. This is a worthy reward for the diligent performance of the Argentine player, who had to work very hard without the support of Moises Caicedo.
"The important thing is to maintain the excitement before the international break. Now, we will regain our energy and look forward to the third match against Barcelona.
We are confident, because the team is playing well. Today, we can do better, and will definitely prepare well for the upcoming matches" - Maresca added.
