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Enzo Maresca has heaped praise on Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo, hailing his versatility and work ethic. Maresca believes the Ecuadorian can fit into every position on the pitch except, perhaps, in goal.
Caicedo, who made a high-profile move to Stamford Bridge from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023, has cemented his position as a key figure at the west London club. In what was a rollercoaster campaign for the Blues, he was the only player in Enzo Maresca’s squad to start all 38 of Chelsea’s Premier League matches during the 2024/25 season.
While Caicedo primarily plays as a defensive midfielder, Maresca utilized him in advanced midfield roles and even at right back in some matches last season, and he still impressed in each position. His standout performances didn’t go under the radar as he was voted the club’s Men’s Players’ Player of the Season.
Ahead of Chelsea’s second Club World Cup match against Flamengo, Maresca spoke highly of the 23-year-old, describing him as one of the best players in the world in his position.
The Blues boss said (via Hayters):
“For me he is good everywhere, apart from maybe as a goalkeeper. He can play everywhere. For us he has played three or four positions this season. We are very, very happy with Moises and him playing as a defensive midfielder because in this moment he is the best or one of the best in the world.”
Caicedo was not only Chelsea’s standout performer last season, but he also established himself as one of the Premier League's most effective ball-winners, leading the division with 229 possessions won in the just-concluded campaign.
Enzo Maresca provides Chelsea team news ahead of Club World Cup clash with Flamengo
Enzo Maresca provided a positive news update ahead of this team’s second Club World Cup match. The Italian gaffer said there are no fitness concerns over his players registered in the competition. However, he added that he will likely make changes to his Chelsea side against Flamengo.
He told reporters (via Chelseafc.com):
“No injuries at the moment, but because it’s a tournament and we have a game every three days, we need to rotate players. I’m not saying we’re going to rotate ten or eleven players each game, but we will need to rotate three, four or five players each game for sure. This is because we cannot play every three days with the same players.
“The ones we tried to rotate a little bit in the first game are the ones we have tried to rotate since day one: Romeo (Lavia) and Reece (James). We also gave some minutes off to Moi, who has played the whole season, by bringing on Dario Essugo. We will try to continue on that.”
The Blues are currently in the second position in their group standings in the competition.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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