Enzo Maresca Addresses Player Injuries, Squad Rotation, and Upcoming Fixtures

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca addressed the media in advance of Thursday’s Conference League fixture against Heidenheim, scheduled for a 17:45 GMT kick-off. Below are the main points from his press conference. Captain Reece James has undergone a scan for his injury, though Chelsea stated they “don’t know how long the recovery time is” at this time. The manager expressed his desire to shift attention away from his captain, stating: “I think the best thing we can do, as the staff, and you [media], is don’t talk too much about Reece. The more we speak about Reece, the more pressure we put on. The more you ask, the more I answer, the more we put pressure on him.” Pedro Neto and Malo Gusto have resumed training and are anticipated to participate in Sunday’s match against Aston Villa. Josh Acheampong, despite training with the senior squad, will not be part of the matchday squad for the Heidenheim game, with Maresca also noting, “there are not any update in terms of contract.” Regarding the management of playing time for his squad, Maresca commented: “It’s an important European competition. Since we started, we have tried to share minutes with all of the squad. In this moment, it is like this.” Maresca acknowledged that “it is not always possible” to maintain player contentment but affirmed that Christopher Nkunku has not expressed dissatisfaction regarding his limited Premier League appearances. He confirmed that he and Nkunku had a conversation this week. Further elaborating on Nkunku, Maresca stated: “Of course, he wants to play more games but there are a lot coming up. For sure, he is going to play a Premier League game. His best position is as a 10 but Cole [Palmer] is playing there. We need balance.” Maresca confirmed he is “absolutely not” considering selling the forward during the January transfer window, adding: “I completely want him to stay with us.” Addressing the upcoming opponents, Heidenheim, Maresca remarked: “I enjoy every game, knowing that in this competition, every club and every team try to make it a big game. The issue for us can be that if we are not ready mentally and we underestimate something, it can hurt us.”