Maresca has issued a Chelsea injury updateplaceholder image
Maresca has issued a Chelsea injury update | Getty Images
Enzo Maresca has been discussing Chelsea’s injury issues ahead of a Champions League date with Atalanta.
Chelsea are currently in the automatic progression spots in the Champions League, but their lead is slim, and defeat to Atalanta would see them leapfrogged by the Italian side, while they would almost certainly drop out of the top eight, given they ae just goal difference ahead of Manchester City and Atalanta, who are currently in ninth and 10th.
Ahead of the Atalanta side, Chelsea lost Liam Delap to a shoulder injury, with the forward having to come off against Bournemouth, but while the striker remains unavailable for this one, there is some good news on that front.
“Liam, fortunately, there is no fracture, which is good news,” Maresca said in his pre-match press conference. “In terms of how long he will be out, we are not sure at this stage to be honest.”
He added on fellow attacker Cole Palmer: “Cole, it’s part of his process at the moment. He is not available, he can’t play two games in three days, so we planned this and it’s a way to protect him.”
Elsewhere, Reece James and Wesley Fofana are available after having their minutes managed of late. “Reece and Wes are both with us, so both are available for tomorrow’s game,” added the Chelsea boss. “Then we will see the starting eleven tomorrow.”
Maresca on striker troubles
Chelsea have struggled with the availability of strikers this season, with Delap also having missed a long stretch with a hamstring injury earlier in the season.
The issues certainly call into question Chelsea’s decision to force Nicolas Jackson out of the club on a loan deal, but Maresca is determined to find solutions. “In terms of the nine position, we had Liam two months out earlier in the season, unfortunately for him and us,” Maresca discussed.
“Joao (Pedro) played as a nine, Pedro Neto played as a nine, Tyrique George also played as a nine earlier in the season. So we try to find solutions knowing that Liam is an important player for us and he needed to play games and get better and better. Unfortunately, he is now out and we will try to find solutions.”
On the Atalanta test, Maresca continued: “In terms of playing away, we were more points away than at home in the Premier League. In the Champions League, as you said, we played two games, we drew and lost, but in the end I think it's always things that balance out a bit at the end of the season.
“As far as away games are concerned, I'm not saying we're used to it, because it's hard to get used to, but not just away games, because there's no time between one game and the other. We played two days ago, we played two days before, but we're trying to adapt.”
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