Ahead of Chelsea’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Cardiff City, there is far more attention on their manager before the game than many would have expected just a few days ago.
Enzo Maresca has taken centre stage after his very public outburst surrounding his situation with the board at Stamford Bridge.
After being given the chance to clarify his position, Maresca instead stuck to his guns when it came to his comments, creating more questions than answers from his Pre-Cardiff press conference.
Imagine Enzo Maresca has just been sacked. Who should Chelsea hire to replace him?
Enzo Maresca annoyed watching Chelsea
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Reports have stated that there is a rift between the sporting directors and Maresca, and the boss had made it public knowledge that he wanted some signings that weren’t made over the summer.
Chelsea Training and Press Conference
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
David Ornstein says Enzo Maresca outburst is believed to be ’emotional response’ to tough run of form
Before the win against Everton, Chelsea had endured a run of four games without a win in all competitions, and this will have increased the pressure on the boss.
David Ornstein has said he has been told by people at Chelsea that they believe his outburst came as a bit of an emotional reaction to the recent bad run.
He told NBC Sports: “Obviously there was a run of four winless games, and that I think has been put down by people I speak to around Chelsea as bringing an emotional reaction [from Maresca]. There will have been regular meetings taking place, in particular after Atalanta. Perhaps something was said in those that he didn’t like.
“There are no suggestions coming to me that his position is in doubt. They always seem to be backing him from the conversations I have, but this certainly brings a curiosity, and perhaps some hidden messages that we don’t know the full extent of.”
Maresca under pressure to deliver against Cardiff
Maresca made it clear that he wanted to speak about the opportunity that he has to take Chelsea to their third semi-final in the first 18 months of his tenure at the club.
Finish off our team to face Cardiff!
Who would you start out wide?
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The Blues are expected to have too much for the lower league opposition, especially with them not having Chelsea loanee Omari Kellyman available for selection.
However, Maresca is set to take the risk of rotating his side for the quarter-final. Cole Palmer will not feature for the Blues as they continue to build his fitness back up.
Defeat in the current club climate would be very dangerous for the manager, and he should be looking to eliminate the prospect of journalists having a chance to push his buttons following a cup upset.
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