Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca defended his team’s selection after they dropped points in the Champions League with a 2-2 draw with Qarabag.
The Blues looked far from their best after the 2,500-mile journey to the Azerbaijani capital Baku, and were given a scare by their hosts, who led 2-1 before half-time.
Goals from Leandro Andrade and a penalty from Marko Jankovic turned the game around after Estevao’s early goal, with Chelsea looking set for a routine win.
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Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half goal saved the visitors a blush and saved a point, but Maresca was asked to explain his choices after making seven changes to the side that beat Tottenham at the weekend.
Key midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were among those who started on the bench.
“(The selection) is always because we think the plan with the players is the right one,” Maresca said. “Today, we started the right way, scoring the goal but then we conceded two goals, the first when they had 10 men. We can avoid both goals. In their penalty area, we need to be more effective.”
The Chelsea coach also pointed to the disruption of the pre-season and the lack of a summer break following their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The final of the summer tournament was held in the United States, which saw Chelsea defeat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0, just five weeks before the start of the new English Premier League season.
He said: “The goal was to rest Moises, Enzo, Malo (Gusto) and more players.” “They are not able to play every three days. The Club World Cup affected a lot. We tried to rotate. When we win, no one mentions it but when we don’t, everyone focuses on that.”
There was more worry for Maresca as Romeo Lavia was forced off injured early on.
The midfielder has made just 30 appearances in the more than two years since joining the club and has never completed a full 90 minutes.
“We feel ashamed for him, especially for him,” Mariska said. “He is unable to be fit for a very long time. We will see now. It is too early to understand what type of injury it is. I think it is his quad.”
With the draw, Chelsea have eight points in the table, the same number as their host in Baku, but with one defeat already, there is little margin for error in their remaining four matches if they hope to finish the season in the top eight and avoid a play-off in February.
Marisca’s side face Wolves at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, less than 72 hours after returning from the eastern tip of Europe.
“It’s about everyone (the players),” Maresca said. “I think we started in the right way. We controlled the game but when we conceded the first goal, we conceded the second four or five minutes later.
“We were much better in the second half. Every game is an opportunity for them to show why they are here.”
Information from the Palestinian Authority was used in this report.
