Maresca Concerned About Fernandez and Caicedo’s Fitness Ahead of Chelsea vs Bournemouth Clash
As Chelsea prepares to face Bournemouth next week, head coach Enzo Maresca is anxiously monitoring the fitness of midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Under Maresca’s leadership, Chelsea has secured just one Premier League win this season, a dominant 6-0 victory against Wolves at Molineux. However, the Blues suffered a loss to Manchester City in Maresca’s debut match and most recently drew with Crystal Palace, despite a promising first half at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s defensive woes continue, with Malo Gusto, who has been covering for injured captain Reece James, limping off with a thigh issue during the Crystal Palace match. His withdrawal from France’s Under-21 squad has raised doubts about his availability for the Bournemouth game. On the positive side, James is expected to make his return, but Maresca will be careful not to overextend the England right-back, who has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons.
Fernandez and Caicedo are two other key players whose participation against Bournemouth may need to be managed carefully. Fernandez, currently captaining Chelsea in James’ absence, is set to play for Argentina against Colombia on Tuesday night. He is expected to return to training on Thursday, just 48 hours before Chelsea’s trip to the south coast, leaving limited time for proper preparation. Similarly, Caicedo will represent Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier against Peru around the same time, and he will follow a similar recovery and training schedule upon his return.
During the international break, Maresca has been working with 13 players at Chelsea’s training base, Cobham. This group includes those undergoing rehabilitation, like Gusto and Omari Kellyman. Among the squad is new signing Jadon Sancho, who joined on loan from Manchester United. Sancho’s loan deal could become a permanent transfer next summer for a reported fee of £25 million.
Sancho could make his debut against Bournemouth, but he will face stiff competition for a place in Chelsea’s star-studded attack, with options like Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, and Mykhailo Mudryk also vying for a spot. Additionally, Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia is nearing a return to action after suffering a minor injury last month. Lavia has been sidelined since Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Servette in the Conference League playoff.
