Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he will have to rotate players ahead of the busy schedule.
[Sky Italia](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/premier-league/2025/10/17/enzo-maresca-chelsea-intervista) interviewed the 45-year-old on Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures as they play seven matches in all competitions in 22 days.
Maresca saw several of his players return to Chelsea after representing their respective countries.
Sky asked Maresca how he manages players returning from October’s international break. When responding to that, the Blues coach explained the importance of rotating his players in order to protect them.
_“After the break, you have to get the player back in the right mood straight away. You can’t always play the same players, otherwise they’ll burn out_. _It’s a long season: you have to find a balance, even if it means losing a bit of quality in some games,”_ he said.
In the next 22 days, Chelsea face Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the league. They also Wolves in the EFL Cup and take on Ajax and Qarabağ FK in the Champions League.
The Club World Cup winners start their busy run with an away clash against Nottingham Forest later today. The Reds are yet to register a win under manager Ange Postecoglou, who arrived last month.
Sky asked the Chelsea boss whether Nottingham Forest ‘can be dangerous’ despite their recent struggles.
_“There are no easy matches in the Premier League. And then away from home, in a hot stadium, after the international break… they’re always strange games. You have to be careful,”_ Maresca explained.
The Italian has also praised Estêvão, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from Palmeiras last summer.
When asked how the 18-year-old winger hasn’t been affected by the big move, he added: _“Yes, he’s a very young player, born in 2007, and he’s just turned 18. He arrived with his family, and we did everything we could to make him feel at ease. The club was good, but the truth is that he’s a strong player.”_
_“He reminds me a lot of Cole Palmer, even physically. He has the same footballing maturity despite his age.”_