Enzo Mariska, the head coach of Chelsea, expressed his immense happiness after the 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, which secured the Blues a spot in the Champions League next season, affirming that the team deserved this achievement after significant work and effort throughout the season.

Mariska said: "I am very happy, happy for many reasons, firstly because I believe the players deserve it. From day one, they have been working very hard. The club, the owners, and the players, we are all heading in the same direction. I have said several times during the season that all the noise was coming from outside, not from within."

Regarding the difficulty of the match, he stated: "It was a very tough match. City lost here, Arsenal drew, Liverpool drew, and Chelsea won. It wasn’t easy. The players showed their quality and the effort they put in. Unfortunately, we are in a profession where we are judged by results, and if we hadn't won today, you would consider the season a disaster, but it wasn't."

He added: "I have often said that the season was good. Twelfth place two years ago, sixth last season, and now fourth, with one of the youngest teams in the history of the Premier League, so I am very happy."

On playing for the result, he remarked: "Results have always mattered to us from day one, but we have our way. We want to win playing our style. The players showed resilience, and we adapted a bit without the ball. This ground is tough, but the players handled the atmosphere excellently."

Regarding the difference between today's match and the loss against Newcastle, he said: "Since January, we have played many good matches. Some said otherwise, but we delivered good performances and achieved an important goal for the club, and we are happy about that."

On the criticisms towards the team, he noted: "I had no doubts about the players. The doubts were from outside. Everyone who thinks they have the truth said that we are too young, not good enough. We were waiting for Aston Villa to drop to qualify. They said we couldn't win here because we lack experience, but they were all wrong."

On the transfer market, he mentioned: "I’m not thinking about the summer right now. Today is a day for happiness. We have returned the club to its rightful place in the most important European competition, that is the most important thing today. Starting tomorrow, we will prepare for the final on Wednesday, then there will be time to think about next season."

He continued discussing his feelings after qualifying for the Champions League, saying: "I am very proud, especially for the players. I feel that I am part of their development. The team is wonderful, an excellent group of young people, working hard, helping each other. The criticisms have always come from outside, that we are too young, lack leadership, and are not good enough, but in the end, everything depends on results."

Regarding the importance of the final on Wednesday, he stated: "We started the season in four competitions. Today, we qualified for the Champions League, and if we win on Wednesday, we will have only exited the FA Cup and the League Cup. I think we can say that the season has been very good. For me, it has indeed been a good season, but it could become excellent if we win on Wednesday."