Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has revealed that his team will create a guard of honour for newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool before kick-off in Sunday’s match on their turf.
With just four matches left in the present campaign in the English top-flight, the Reds were declared winners after thrashing Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield last weekend.
“I think it’s a tradition, it’s something you have to do, and we want to do,” the Blues’s manager made this known at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“First of all, they won the league, so they deserve that, and hopefully we can be there [as champions] very soon.”
The Italian boss’s action shows the London side’s ambition to regain a position among England’s top as well as respect for the winners.
A moment of respect on the pitch
In football culture, a guard of honour is a symbolic gesture of sportsmanship and respect. Recognizing the Merseyside’s great title-winning run under Arne Slot, the Stamford Bridge players will line up and applaud as they take to the field.
The six-times league champions have honoured champions before as well. They have exhibited elegance in comparable situations in past seasons, therefore underscoring their dedication to the values of the sport.
Can Chelsea deliver against the champions?
Maresca’s men still depend on the game even though there is a festive atmosphere. As they strive to bridge the gap separating themselves from the top of the Premier League, the West London giants get a crucial reference by facing the champions.
Sunday’s match is more than a formality. It presents an opportunity to weigh their development against a high-performance Slot’s team as young players grow and tactical framework develops under the host’s head coach.
Whistle at the end
Football lovers should expect more than tradition as the home team gets ready to honour the visitors with a guard of honour. Setting the scene for a wonderful game between a developing team and the current champions of English football, pride and passion will be on full display.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
