Chelsea Boss Enzo Maresca Scraps Off Day After Seniors Fall to Youth Team
- After losing to the under-21 team, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca decided against giving the senior players their scheduled day off.
- In 2025, The Blues have seen a decline, securing only four victories in league play, and now find themselves struggling for a spot in the Champions League.
- The Blues are gearing up for the upcoming London derby against Tottenham Hotspur following their defeat to Arsenal in the previous match.
The manager of Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, decided against giving his veteran players a rest day following their defeat 3-0 at the hands of the team's Under-21 side during a practice match.
Why did Chelsea decide to cancel their rest day?
As reported by The Athletic, Maresca was unimpressed with what he observed, resulting in the senior players having one fewer day off.
The report also mentions that despite not being a complete match, the youth team performed exceptionally well, with 19-year-old Donnell McNeilly scoring two out of their three goals.
The senior players who weren’t part of the national team took part in the game, whereas the Under-21 and Under-16 squads were chosen to even out the teams.
Chelsea's next match is next week on Thursday, April 6, and players were expected to have March 27 as an off day but the Italian reversed his decision.
Currently, The Blues find themselves in the midst of a slump after an impressive beginning under Mresca. Initially seen as potential champions, their string of unfavorable outcomes has put securing a place in the Champions League in jeopardy.
Chelsea supporters respond to Maresca's choice
@RobertBlaszczak:
The Under-21 team should face Tottenham next. First, they would offer stiffer competition; second, they’d resonate more with local fans; and third, lower match bonus costs. Nothing but advantages.
@AWANBOYXE:
He called off his day off. As though he had an alternative plan for the team. He doesn’t have anything more to contribute.
@Cetrick5:
I find it surprising that he is feeling let down at this point, as his performance has been sluggish since mid-December.
@mn_itsmmn:
Baldness doesn’t turn you into Guardiola!! Leave my club and go handle some League 2 teams, pal!
Is Chelsea going to secure a place in the Champions League?
As the English Premier League enters its final nine fixtures, Chelsea sit in fourth place with 49 points, maintaining a narrow five-point lead over 10th-place Bournemouth.
The positive development is that both Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke have returned to training. Palmer was absent from their match against Arsenal as well as his international commitments with England because of a slight injury.
Since December 22 of last year, the Blues have emerged victorious in four games. These wins came against teams positioned in the lower half of the table: Wolves, West Ham, Southampton, and Leicester.
They haven't won an away match since December 8, when they trounced Tottenham Hotspur.
"We're initially focusing on securing victories during our away matches. Currently, we've been successful playing at home and aim to achieve similar outcomes when traveling. Earlier in the season, we excelled away from home while facing challenges domestically. The situation has now reversed. While we definitely have room for improvement as visitors, generally speaking, things look positive," stated Maresca following their defeat against Arsenal according to Football London.
Why aren't there any Premier League matches scheduled for this coming weekend?
.co.ke Previously discussed the reasons for the absence of Premier League games this weekend.
This weekend will see no league football due to an agreement made by the Football Association (FA) this season. However, the FA Cup quarter-finals will still take place as scheduled.