Enzo Maresca has remained steadfast about his stance on two former members of the first team.
Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling have been part of the ‘bomb squad’ at **Chelsea**that accompanied the arrival of the Italian at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2024. Sterling went on a year-long loan to **Arsenal**and after a 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town, Disasi joined Aston Villa for the second half of the season. Neither fully impressed away from West London, and their prospects look bleaker now.
While **Christopher Nkunku**found a way out to **AC Milan**and Nicolas Jackson forced through his loan to Bayern Munich, Disasi and Sterling had no suitors willing to take on their services from the Blues. Both players have been pushed to the margins at the club, and only recently, Disasi began to get an opportunity to work with the Under-21s, captaining an academy side against Reading.
The PFA have inquired about the treatment of both professionals, and the media have put the pressure on Maresca to explain why this behaviour was deemed as a necessary decision. But the Italian is too far gone to back down on the decision, having refused to call on the services of Disasi after absences for Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, and Wesley Fofana at the end of September.
It seems that all Disasi and Sterling can do now is wait for a resolution in the window in January.
“I said many times that Axel and Raheem are Chelsea players. Axel is helping the second team, he’s helping the younger players. During the international break we had just five, six players here, so we need some second team players.
“Axel was part of some session with second team players, but it was just one session with us. At the moment he’s helping second team, he’s working with second team and he’s there with second team.”