Enzo Maresca Names Three Serious Injury Concerns For Chelsea

Chelsea head Enzo Maresca revealed that João Pedro, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo are each carrying injuries.

All 3 players started Saturday’s oddly listless 2–1 defeat astatine location to Sunderland. Fernández and Caicedo played nan afloat 90 while Pedro lasted until nan 85th infinitesimal yet nary of this usually important trio performed to nan champion of their ability.

As Maresca would subsequently explain, they were restricted by fittingness issues.

“I deliberation João is not training each time because he’s managing a small spot himself from nan wounded problem,” nan Italian leader outlined. “Moi [Caicedo] is precisely nan same, Enzo [Fernández] is precisely nan same.

“We person 4 aliases 5 players that unfortunately, because of immoderate problems, they cannot activity each time and they effort to make nan effort to play nan game.”

Moisés Caicedo (left) and Enzo Fernández are some nursing wounded issues. / Michael Steele/Getty Images

Caicedo and Fernández were some fittingness doubts heading into last weekend’s travel to Nottinhgam Forest. The Argentine midfielder didn’t characteristic astatine each while Caicedo was only fresh capable to travel disconnected nan bench. The all-action cardinal outlet helped plaything nan title successful Chelsea’s favour astatine nan City Ground but didn’t person nan aforesaid decisive effect against Sunderland.

A deficiency of afloat fittingness undoubtedly played its part, but Wilson Isidor’s diligent man-marking little stifled Chelsea’s astir important midfielder passim a frustrating afternoon.

Pedro has been forced to return connected nan load of starting for Chelsea contempt his ain issues fixed nan deficiency of attacking options successful westbound London. Following summertime exits for Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, nan superior wounded to Liam Delap concisely near Pedro arsenic Maresca’s only elder centre forward. Marc Guiu was recalled from his indebtedness spell pinch Sunderland earlier nan summertime model concluded but, arsenic he proved against his fleeting erstwhile employers, is still very overmuch a earthy 19-year-old.

“So João successful immoderate games has been better, [against Sunderland] he struggled a small bit,” Maresca conceded. “But I deliberation wide each nan players struggled, truthful it’s not conscionable astir João.”

Liam Delap has been sidelined pinch a hamstring wounded since August. / Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

Given nan revelation complete Pedro’s ailing fitness, Delap’s return to training will service arsenic an almighty affirmative astatine Stamford Bridge. The rugged striker has been sidelined pinch a hamstring wounded since sprinting a small excessively vigorously successful nan opening exchanges of an August conflict pinch Fulham.

Delap gloomily watched his teammates flounder against Sunderland’s rigid debased artifact connected Saturday from nan stands. Maresca has hinted astatine nan imaginable of 22-year-old getting immoderate minutes successful Wednesday’s Carabao Cup necktie against Wolverhampton Wanderers and immoderate chance to lighten Pedro’s workload would surely beryllium welcomed.

Chelsea past look nan intriguing imaginable of a London derby distant to Tottenham Hotspur. Thomas Frank’s broadside person endured a deceptively underwhelming location grounds this season—freshly promoted Burnley are nan only Premier League squad to suffer successful N17 frankincense far—but boast an evident spot which is simply a concerning weakness for Chelsea: group pieces.

Maresca’s broadside person developed a newfound attacking separator astatine dormant balls this play yet it is simply a acold different communicative defensively. Chelsea person shipped 4 set-piece Premier League goals—joint 14th worst—and person conceded a higher xG from these scenarios than immoderate different nine successful nan division, per Opta. The aerially imposing Delap whitethorn beryllium needed successful some boxes.

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