Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he “trying to solve” his side’s “habit” of conceding too many goals after a 2-1 defeat by a young Real Madrid side in Charlotte, in the final match of their United States tour.

Chelsea conceded 63 goals under Mauricio Pochettino in the league last season, an unwanted club record during the Premier League era.

Chelsea’s high line was constantly exposed by Real Madrid’s speedsters. One ball in behind and bang, the Spaniards were through.

Maresca said he addressed the “very high” defensive line with his players in one of his first meetings, which he said is a habit “from last season”.

That tendency not to press with intensity and allow quality players – like those at Celtic, Manchester City and Madrid on this tour – time on the ball to pick them off has continued.

Maresca said: “One of my first meetings with the squad was about the amount of goals we conceded last year with the defensive line very high.

“We are not working on defensive lines so high. It’s a habit from last year, or years ago, I don’t know.

“We are trying to drop the defensive line a little bit, usually about four or five metres, just to have some advantage.

“Last year, we already conceded many goals with this problem. Hopefully we can solve it very soon.”

The former Leicester manager continued by explaining it is not an issue with his defence, which featured Reece James, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Malo Gusto, but the team as a whole.

The Italian has also been attempting to implement his new system and style which has seen several individual mistakes leading directly to goals conceded in the United States.

Maresca has previously admitted to using his matches as “training sessions”, without time to do tactical work in between all the travel and the five matches in 14 days in the high heat of the United States.

That instability must be resolved, he says, before Chelsea face Manchester City in their Premier League opener.