Joao Pedro has already proven Enzo Maresca wrong after manager sent warning about Chelsea man

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Chelsea striker Joao Pedro was a talking point in Enzo Maresca’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Chelsea face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup this Wednesday, and Maresca spoke about his forward and a range of other topics ahead of the game.

Pedro has been criticised following his side’s 2-1 loss to Sunderland last weekend, with the 24-year-old currently on a run of eight games without a goal.

Maresca has now sent a warning to Chelsea supporters about Pedro after his latest blank.

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Enzo Maresca warns Chelsea fans Joao Pedro won’t score 20 goals a season

Despite describing him as a “fantastic player”, the Chelsea manager cannot see his striker scoring 20 goals in a season for the Blues.

As Maresca discussed Pedro in his pre-match press conference, he said: “Joao is not a problem at all, he is going to score goals for us, give us assists.

“Joao Pedro is not a No.9 who is going to score 20 goals a season. He is a fantastic player, but he is a different type of No.9 than the ones who score 20 or 25 goals each year, like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe and [Erling] Haaland.”

While the Brazilian may not look like a striker who is capable of scoring 20 goals right now, he has actually done it in the past.

Back in the 2023/24 campaign, Pedro was able to net 20 times in all competitions for Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ultimately, if Maresca was referring to Pedro not being able to score 20 goals altogether in a single season, then the Brazil international has already proven him wrong.

Joao Pedro’s 2023/24 season in full

In the cup competitions during the 2023/24 season, Pedro was absolutely deadly, though that will not surprise Chelsea fans after watching him at the Club World Cup.

In just two FA Cup games, the forward was able to score five goals. In the Europa League, he also managed to net six times.

Adding his goals from the Premier League, it took Pedro’s total tally that campaign to 20 on the dot.

It is now up to the former Brighton man to prove to Maresca that he can do it again. Chelsea need him to if they are to have another successful season that ends with silverware and Champions League qualification.