Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca insists players “are not machines” and suggested physical and mental health could be put at risk by FIFA’s Club World Cup.
The inaugural edition of the controversial tournament is due to begin in Miami on June 14, with the Blues playing their opening match two days later in Atlanta against an as-yet-undecided opponent.
That leaves only 18 days between the Conference League final, which Chelsea will contest with Real Betis in Wroclaw on Wednesday, and kick-off in the United States, with the call-up of five players to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for matches on June 7 and 10 a further complicating factor.
The final day. 🔜 pic.twitter.com/eWnmraOg6t
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 22, 2025
Should Chelsea reach the final on July 13, they will return home less than five weeks before the start of their 2025-26 Premier League campaign, effectively ruling out a pre-season.
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The game against Betis will be the 57th of their season with the possibility of seven more in the US, and though Maresca has rotated his squad for European games the head coach believes the risks players are being exposed to by an increasingly demanding schedule cannot be ignored.
“They (FIFA) decide,” he said. “There are people in charge to decide for competitions and games. If they decide in the way they decide, for me it shows that they don’t care about the amount of injuries.
“It’s not normal the amount of injuries that happen in football today compared to the past. It’s because it is business.
“You cannot joke with health. It’s physical health, it can be mental health. First of all they are human beings. First of all protect the person, and if they need holiday it’s because they need holiday.
FIFA’s new tournament will leave little time for pre-season for teams that progress to the later rounds
FIFA’s new tournament will leave little time for pre-season for teams that progress to the later rounds(Martyn Ziegler/PA)
“It’s not about how much money they have. They are 20, 25, 28; and if you play, play, play, at the end it’s not a machine. It’s a human being.”
England boss Tuchel said on Friday he will not release players early in order to join their club sides in the US.
As well as five players from Chelsea – Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Reece James, Levi Colwill and uncapped defender Trevoh Chalobah – there were call-ups for Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham as well as Conor Gallagher of Atletico Madrid.
Should Chelsea go deep into the tournament, Maresca admitted the impact of the tournament is likely to be felt into next season.
Cole Palmer is one of five Chelsea players called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad
Cole Palmer is one of five Chelsea players called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad(Bradley Collyer/PA)
“Probably there is no time for pre-season,” he said. “You need to give them recovery. You need to give them some days off, otherwise it’s impossible for them to perform in the right way.”
Next season is likely to be another hectic one for the Blues as they stand on the brink of a return to the Champions League, with victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday needed to secure a top-five Premier League finish.
“They (the players) are all aware how important the game is so we don’t need to give them extra motivation,” said Maresca. “It’s probably the most important game of the season.
“Some of them are going to be more relaxed, some of them will be more nervous. But it’s a normal situation.”