Sterling and Chilwell will ‘struggle’ if they don’t leave – Maresca
Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell will “struggle” to get game time unless they leave Chelsea, Enzo Maresca has insisted.
The head coach has confirmed the pair are training away from the first-team squad – and rejected suggestions he has been “brutal” with the pair.
“The situation with both of them is quite clear,” Maresca said ahead of Chelsea’s Europa Conference League play-off against Servette.
“They are Chelsea players, but we have a big squad and it’s impossible for me to give them all minutes. Some of them, if they are looking for minutes, it is probably better for them to leave.
“I spoke with Raheem before the Manchester City game and said that he is going to struggle to get minutes with us. With Chilwell, I said that he is a lovely guy but he will struggle because of his position with us.
“If you define this as brutal, that is for you to decide. For me it’s not brutal, just honest.”
Maresca also insisted he feels sympathy for the players who are not currently in his plans, but believes his approach to have them training away from the first- eam will be beneficial in the long run.
“When I was a player it happened to me. I know the feeling, but also I think it’s good to know that if you are going to stay, you are going to struggle to get minutes,” he said.
“In this moment, it’s not the best situation, but in one week, 10 days, it can be a better situation because you move and you can join a club where you can probably play more.”
Oliver Browning
1:55 PM (1 hour ago)
to David
Maresca is working with a squad of around 20 first-team players.
The size of Chelsea’s squad has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, which he dismissed as “outside noise” and not impacting his day-to-day work.
“It’s the job of the manager to keep all the players happy, but this is almost impossible,” Maresca said.
“They train every day to get minutes and in the end, only 11 are going to play. I try to be honest to them, and in this moment, the noise is outside.
“I am not working with 42, 43 players. More than 15, they are training apart and are not with the team.”
Maresca also suggested that he is not afraid to leave out players like Sterling, who have long contracts, from his squad.
“This is not my problem. I’m here to take decisions and think who is best for us. I’m not thinking about how many years are on their contracts,” the Italian said.
“If they are on a six-year contract but I don’t like them, they can have a 20-year contract, I don’t care. I’m just here to make the right decision for the team.
“In this moment, I’m working with 21 players. The other 15 or 20, they are training apart. They are not working with me every day, I don’t see them. It’s not the mess it looks like from outside.”
