The 45-year-old Blues boss had no "doubt" about the players after the 22-year-old defender Levi Colwill's only goal of the Premier League match at the City Ground on May 25, resulting in the London-based team finishing in fourth place and securing Champions League qualification for the first time since 2022.

And now Maresca has told the critics who blasted Chelsea for "not [being] good enough" for promotion to "f-off" because the young squad put in a "fantastic" effort to get them where they are next season.

He said in his post-match press conference: "I didn't have any doubt about the players.

"The doubt was from outside. All the ones that have the answers or the ones that have the truth, they were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough, that we were waiting for Aston Villa to drop points for us to achieve the Champions League.

"They were saying that we were not able to win on this pitch [at Forest] because we are too young, because we are not experienced. Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong.

"All the ones that have the truth and have the answer to everything. So in English, how do you say? F-off to all of them, because the players deserve that.

"The effort they have been putting in is fantastic ...

"Unfortunately, we are in a business where the people - you - judge us because of the results. Today, if we were not able to win the game, probably all of you would judge this season as a disaster."

And Maresca has insisted the team deserved their Champions League qualification because they have "been working very hard" since "day one".

He added: "I am very happy for many reasons.

"The players deserve it, since day one, they have been working very hard. With the club, the supporters, the owners, the sporting directors, the players - we all go in the same direction.

"The noise was more from outside than from inside."