Enzo Maresca ‘thankful’ for connection at Leicester ahead of return with Chelsea

Leicester celebrate last season’s Championship triumph with Jamie Vardy, second left, next to then boss Enzo Maresca, centre (Joe Giddens/PA) - (PA Archive)

Enzo Maresca has lifted the lid on Leicester’s promotion celebrations and revealed Jamie Vardy and co still know how to party.

Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer.

Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house.

Enzo Maresca is now in the Chelsea hotseat (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am.

Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team.

“This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them.

“I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together.

Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3

— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024

“When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.”

Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR.

“To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian.

“They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.”

Jamie Vardy is still among the goals for the Foxes at the age of 37 (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney.

“People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic.

“But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.”

Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.