The Blues Injury Crisis Attributed to Club World Cup Run, According to Coach Maresca

Enzo Maresca has indicated that the squad is experiencing the aftermath" of their recent Club World Cup campaign, with a significant number of players missing for the forthcoming match against the Reds.

Current Injury Status

Important player Cole Palmer is sidelined with a persistent groin injury, adding to the roster of lengthy unavailable players that features Wesley Fofana, Delap, Colwill, Santos, and Tosin Adarabioyo. Additionally, Trevoh Chalobah is suspended following his dismissal in the recent defeat to Brighton.

"It's the truth," the coach commented. "Given that PSG and we have so many fitness issues, probably it's some result from the Club World Cup. In this moment we have several backline players out, but we're going to attempt to adapt and find the best solution."

Report Highlights Fixture Concerns

A recent study from the worldwide players' union Fifpro showed that the club's players were allowed three weeks off after claiming victory in the Club World Cup in July, while Paris Saint-Germain, the beaten runners-up, gave breaks to their team members for 22 days. The analysis linked this high schedule to the fitness problems faced by the two teams.

The Italian manager expressed agreement with the report's conclusions and emphasized his faith in the youthful players who will step in. The 19-year-old defender is expected to earn his fourth top-flight appearance in defense.

Trust in Youth

"This is difficult," he admitted, "however at the same moment we believe in the players that are here. For sure, when you can change one player after four or five games, it's better. The more you perform alongside with colleagues, the understanding becomes better. Sometimes you don't even need to talk to do an action on the pitch – they grasp instantly. When you persist to rotate it's increasingly hard."

"Yet I truly trust the young players. Not just the youth that we buy but additionally the academy graduates from the youth system. We provided games last season to Acheampong so that shows that I rely on the next generation."

Disciplinary Issues Addressed

Turning to disciplinary matters, the manager stated he is unworried by the team's record of dismissals. The team has been shown multiple red cards in their last as many games, including a player's dismissal in the European win over the Portuguese side.

Since Maresca arrival in mid-2024, Chelsea has the worst conduct stats among Premier League teams, with multiple dismissals in 73 matches – one every 10.4 matches. Furthermore, they lead the division for yellow cards under his leadership, with 114 bookings.

"There is a discipline issue," he said. "It's necessary to review case by case. When it's a dismissal for malicious intent or for bad discipline, it's distinct from the Manchester United incident or the Brighton sending-off. In that cases, it's simply a choice that you have to take in two seconds, three seconds. Should I do a foul or not? It's tough."