Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed confidence in the development of 17-year-old defender Genesis Antwi during a media conference ahead of the Europa Conference League semifinal first-leg against Djurgården.
Maresca highlighted Antwi’s consistent performance with the Under-21 team and his readiness to contribute to the senior squad when called upon.
“First of all, he’s one of the young players,” said Maresca, adding, “he’s one of the academy players in this moment.
“We try always to give them chances when they deserve. For part of the season he was working with us when we needed him.
“We call him and he works with us. He’s doing well, as you said, with the under-21s and also he’s doing well when we call him.
“So we are happy to give him the chance and we see in the next game he can be involved.”
Born in Stockholm to Ghanaian parents, Antwi joined Chelsea’s youth academy at the age of 11.
He has represented Sweden and England at various youth levels, including the Under-16, Under-17, and Under-19 teams, but is still eligible to play for Ghana at senior level.
His versatility allows him to play as a full-back on both flanks and as a wing-back.
Antwi made his senior debut for Chelsea in a 1–0 victory over Copenhagen in March 2025.
Maresca also addressed concerns regarding Djurgården’s artificial pitch at the 3Arena, acknowledging that the synthetic surface poses challenges for players accustomed to natural grass.
Despite these conditions, he emphasized that Chelsea must adapt and compete effectively, dismissing any excuses related to the pitch.
