Fresh from his first minutes in a Chelsea shirt, Renato Veiga has discussed life under Enzo Maresca and assessed the significance of the Celtic result.

Veiga signed from Basel this summer and was brought on for the final 10 minutes in Indiana yesterday, replacing Levi Colwill at left-back.

The Blues were already 4-0 down when he came on and we would have the final say when Christopher Nkunku converted a penalty won by Raheem Sterling down our left-hand side. Veiga acknowledged the disappointing outcome but underlined the bigger picture at this stage of the summer.

‘Of course you want to win every football game, especially Chelsea has to win every football game, but we’re in pre-season,’ he said.

‘The most important thing is the process, the connection between each other, and then when the time comes, August 18, that’s when it counts and that’s when we have to win.’

In training, Maresca is using the early weeks of pre-season to get his ideas across to the players, and Veiga believes they are getting to grips with the new head coach’s philosophy.

‘He’s a very direct manager in what he wants,’ said the Portuguese.

‘You have to enjoy and to learn the maximum you can in every training session, and to give everything in every training session. That’s very important for him as well. After you can replicate it on the pitch.’


Veiga’s adaptability should benefit Maresca, who has favoured the use of inverted full-backs in our two games so far. Veiga is as comfortable in midfield as he is defence, so the possibility of roaming forward from left-back is a real one which he hopes to explore in the months ahead.

‘We have been practicing that in training. Outside, inside, as a centre-back, I’m a very versatile player and I’m very happy to be here.

‘I can’t wait to get more and more opportunities to play for this badge.’

The next chance comes when we play Club America in Atlanta, and tickets for that game and the other two on our men's team 2024 USA Tour are on sale now.

Chelsea’s USA Tour 2024