Chelsea ended the 2024-25 season with two trophies and a place in next season’s Champions League despite a rocky patch over the festive period.
Maresca’s side overcame European champions PSG in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, beating them 3-0, a result that even Vieri didn’t see coming.
"I thought PSG would win," he said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. "When you win all the time, you get cocky. And then comes the slap in the face because there are others hungrier than you.”
Vieri went on to praise Maresca for his almost immediate impact at Chelsea having joined from Leicester last summer.
"He worked with Guardiola for years, and it shows. It wasn’t just about high pressing, it was possession-based, organised football with fast players, quality and power, which always adds something," he said.
"For me, Chelsea will win the Premier League next season and be a contender for the Champions League.”