December 12th 2024.
In a recent interview, former Chelsea player Joe Cole couldn't help but gush about the team's young talent. Specifically, he had high praise for 18-year-old Marc Guiu, comparing him to the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool legend Luis Suarez.
Chelsea's impressive run in the Europa Conference League continued with a comfortable 3-1 win over Astana in freezing temperatures. Even with a much-changed squad, manager Enzo Maresca's team dominated the game, scoring two goals in the first 20 minutes.
Guiu, who joined Chelsea last summer for £5m, scored the team's first goal and caught Cole's attention with his performance. Cole couldn't help but draw similarities between Guiu and Suarez, who is considered one of the best strikers to have ever played in the Premier League and La Liga.
Despite only spending three seasons at Liverpool, Suarez left a lasting impact, scoring 82 goals in 133 appearances. He then moved on to Barcelona, where he continued to impress with 198 goals in 283 games, winning numerous titles and trophies.
"He must have watched Luis Suarez as a young man at Barcelona," Cole said of Guiu in an interview with TNT Sports. "He has great movement and was a constant threat throughout the game. I love him. He brings energy and aggression, and he's only 18. Just imagine how good he'll be when he's older. Chelsea have a real gem on their hands."
The win over Astana means Chelsea remain at the top of the Europa Conference League with a perfect 15 points from five games. Cole believes that if the team continues to perform well in the upcoming months, they could even challenge for the Premier League title.
"I'm happy to say that Chelsea could be title contenders if they maintain this level of play," Cole said. "There aren't many weaknesses in this team, and that's a credit to Enzo Maresca. Everything is going well for them at the moment."
Maresca himself was pleased with his team's performance, especially considering the challenging conditions in Kazakhstan. He also praised the young players who stepped up and played a vital role in the win.
"It was a solid performance," Maresca said. "The players did fantastic in the freezing weather, after a long journey, and on a pitch that wasn't ideal for us. I'm very happy with them. The young players, like Tyrique George, Sam Rak-Sakyi, and Josh Acheampong, all did very well."
As for Guiu, Maresca is impressed with his progress and the impact he had on the game, not just with his goal but also with his overall performance.
"Marc has been working hard since he joined us. We have other talented players, but today was his chance to shine, and he took it," Maresca said. "I'm pleased with his performance, as well as the other young players who came on in the second half."
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