Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca press conference ahead of their Champions League match with Atalanta.
Maresca Explained why Cole Palmer hasn’t travelled with Chelsea and said that Cole Palmer must be protected and this is a carefully managed rotation.
while Reece James and Wesley Fofana are included in the squad but Maresca refused to confirm their place in the starting XI.
Liam Delap is once again sidelined, though thankfully without a fracture, as Chelsea continue to look for solutions in attack. Maresca confirmed that João Félix and Pedro Neto could fill in up front, and even mentioned Raheem Sterling as a possible option in the coming weeks.
The Italian manager reflected on Atalanta’s rise as a symbol of pride for Italian football, praising their transformation under coaches like Gasperini and Palladino. He also spoke openly about the challenges of playing three away games in a single week, citing fatigue and travel as key obstacles.
Despite this, Maresca expressed confidence in his squad and their preparation for the intensity of Atalanta’s style.
