Knock: Trevoh Chalobah
Chelsea Football Newsletter
The Blues romped to a 4-1 friendly win over AC Milan on Sunday, thanks to goals from Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, but there was cause for concern as Chalobah limped off with an ankle injury in the second half.
With Levi Colwill set to miss much of the coming season after undergoing ACL surgery, Maresca could not have afforded another defensive injury, but he confirmed that Chalobah’s substitution was simply precautionary.
He joked: “[Chalobah] is ok. It was too hot, so he decided to go out.”
The Italian also offered an update on Fofana, who has been limited by injury to just 34 competitive appearances for Chelsea since signing in 2022.
The Frenchman was facing a race against time to be fit for the Blues’ Premier League opener - a home clash against Crystal Palace next Sunday - but Maresca believes he will be able to play.
“He will be available for Palace,” he confirmed. “We are very happy because he is an important player.”
Maresca will be pleased with Chelsea’s performance on Sunday. Facing a brief pre-season after returning late from the Club World Cup, the Blues have clicked into gear quickly, winning both of their pre-season outings by a combined score of 6-1.
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That is thanks to the performances of Delap and Pedro, who have both hit the ground running in royal blue. Maresca added that he was pleased with the pair’s performances.
“They are both our strikers, so we need them scoring goals during the season. We are very happy with both of them.”