Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto has made it clear that securing a top-four finish remains the club’s goal, seemingly contradicting manager Enzo Maresca’s earlier claim that Chelsea had not set such a target for this season.

Following Chelsea’s disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brighton, Gusto expressed his frustration but remained determined to fight for a Champions League spot.

“As a team we are very disappointed as it was important for us to get closer to third position. It was disappointing,” Gusto admitted.

Despite the setback, the French defender insists that Chelsea must not lose sight of their objectives.

“We will give everything to be there at the end of the season. We just have to keep pushing and do our best.”

Gusto also emphasised the importance of bouncing back quickly, highlighting the need for a strong response in training and upcoming fixtures.

He said: “It was about us and our performance. Now we have to come back into training and prepare in a good way for the next game. The most important thing is the reaction for the next game.”

However, his final remarks were the most striking, as he made it clear that finishing in the top four remains Chelsea’s ambition—directly contradicting Maresca’s stance.

“We just need to give our best for the next few games. We just have to do better for the next game because it will be important for us to stay in the top four and that’s our target.”

Chelsea’s latest defeat has seen them drop to sixth place in the Premier League, now one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City. With Maresca downplaying top-four expectations but Gusto reaffirming them, questions remain over the club’s true objectives for the season.