Chelsea fans are upset that Enzo Maresca chose Pedro Neto rather than a proper No. 9 striker for their Champions League clash against Barcelona.
Robert Sanchez is in goal for Chelsea, with Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella in the back four. Reece James, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernandez are in the middle, and Estevao, Alejandro Garnacho, and Neto are up front.
James is starting in midfield again, rather than at right-back, which has upset some fans in the past. However, the main thing people are talking about before this game is Maresca’s choice to leave out a traditional number nine. Notably, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap are on the bench after both were signed last summer to improve the central striking options.
However, neither is set to face Barcelona from the start of the game at Stamford Bridge. There was a quick reaction online, with many Chelsea fans questioning the way the team was set up.
One supporter wrote:
“NO STRIKER??? MARESCA WHAT PATTERN IS THIS ONE AGAIN??”
Another commented:
“You just know that Maresca was going to do something different.”
Others highlighted the options being overlooked:
“Three strikers all on the bench”
“Wasn’t expecting pedro to be benched 😂😂”
“Okay no number 9,what’s the plan here.”
A fan summed up the mood by writing:
“Runners. No natural striker. Just find a win please or better still, DO NOT LOSE.”
Maresca speaks about Estevao vs Yamal ahead of the Barcelona game
Ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, Maresca has addressed growing comparisons between Estevao Willian and Lamine Yamal. The two 18-year-old wingers are being billed as direct rivals, with Estevao expected to feature prominently for the Premier League side and Yamal already an established star for the Spanish giants.
Both players are left-footed attackers who play on the right and have been identified as long-term standard-bearers for their clubs. While Yamal has already shone for Barcelona and Spain in major competitions, Estevao is still in his first season in Europe after joining Chelsea from Palmeiras and breaking into the Brazil national team.
Maresca has been keen to stress that their career stages are different and that the Brazilian should not be judged purely against his Barcelona counterpart. In recent media appearances, the Chelsea head coach insisted that Estevao’s priority must be to focus on his own development and to shut out external comparisons with Yamal.