Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has called for his players to show a strong reaction as they look to recover from their recent struggles.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa, Maresca acknowledged the team’s disappointing run of form and urged his squad to embrace the challenge of turning things around.

“The team spirit for sure in this moment has to be upset,” Maresca admitted.

“We are upset because we are not happy with the results we have at this moment.”

Chelsea have won just three of their last 11 matches in all competitions, suffering five defeats, including back-to-back losses to Brighton. Despite the setbacks, Maresca insists his players must remember the high standards they set earlier in the season.

“We are all aware we are in a club where I said at the beginning, we are not here to survive, we are here to win games and come back to win titles.”

The Italian coach remains confident in his squad, reminding them of their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

“I have tried to convince the players they are the same players that for 19 or 20 games were in the top four for most of the season. Now it’s a bad run.”

He believes that overcoming this difficult spell will ultimately make his players stronger.

“We need to deal with that, embrace that, and for sure after this moment they are going to be better players and better professionals.”

Chelsea face a tough challenge against Aston Villa on Saturday, with both teams fighting for Champions League qualification. Maresca will be hoping his squad responds with the kind of resilience and determination needed to get their season back on track.