Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he never lost confidence in Joao Pedro after the Brazilian ended an eight-match run without a goal by scoring the winner in the Blues’ 1–0 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Joao Pedro, who has been managing an ongoing injury which has limited his training time, struck in the 34th minute after Moises Caicedo dispossessed Spurs in midfield and released him inside the box.
“Joao has never been a problem,” Maresca said. “The problem is that he is not able to train every day at the moment. We need to manage him carefully. But he always gives everything, and I am very happy for him.”
Joao Pedro breaks the deadlock! 🔒#CFC | #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/X0fB5NGYGI
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 1, 2025
Maresca added that the return of Liam Delap, who was suspended for the match, will provide further depth in attack.
The Chelsea coach reserved strong praise for Caicedo, who has been one of the team’s most influential performers so far this season.
“Moi is showing how good he is,” Maresca said. “He is top. He is humble, he works for the team, and he helps everyone. Him and Rodri are the best defensive midfielders in the world.”
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, meanwhile, expressed disappointment with his side’s display, noting they produced only one shot on target.
“Of course it hurts massively,” Frank said. “I do not think I have ever managed a team that created so little. We need to make that better. Today we did not reach our level.”
Tottenham have now won one of their five home league matches this season. They host Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Chelsea travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag on Wednesday.
