Enzo Maresca rang the changes for Chelsea’s clash with Qarabag as they could only draw on Wednesday night, but his rotation is a method that’s being backed by the Blues’ hierarchy
Enzo Maresca made seven changes to the Chelsea side that were held by Qarabag
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is being actively encouraged to rotate his squad by the club’s hierarchy after his much-changed side could only draw with Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Blues opened the scoring but then found themselves trailing to the side from Azerbaijan before Alejandro Garnacho equalised in the second half. Maresca has made seven or more changes to his line up in five successive games, including in Chelsea’s recent stalemate.
Chelsea have made 85 changes so far this season, 16 more than Liverpool. Premier League leaders Arsenal have rotated the third-most players at 67. Some of those tweaks have been forced, be it through injury or suspension, but some are a selection decision.
Collectively, Chelsea’s owners, board, sporting directors and coaching staff are in alignment that freshening up the starting XI is a necessity when combating the packed fixture schedule.
When the Blues return from the international break, they face a gruelling run of 11 matches in all competitions before the end of 2025 in the space of just four-and-a-half weeks.
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Maresca, who won both the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, is under no internal pressure and that is unlikely to change as the club have full faith that he will deliver more success in west London. The Blues currently sit seventh in the Premier League and are 12th in the Champions League.
Maresca said on his rotation decisions: “Yeah, I think I’ve tried to explain already many times. We have players, the intention tonight was to rest Enzo [Fernandez], to rest Moises [Caicedo], to rest Malo [Gusto], to rest more players, because they are not able to play every three days. They need recovery from last season, as you said, the Club World Cup affects a lot.
Chelsea’s bosses are encouraging Enzo Maresca to continue rotating his players and are firmly behind the Italian(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
“We try to rotate when you win, no-one mentioned all that. I know that when we don’t win, everyone is focused on that and now I think it’s important to recover energy for Saturday and go again.”
Chelsea play Wolves, who are without a win in the league, this Saturday before the international break kicks in. Once they return later in November the Blues will play three times in eight days before the month is up.
Maresca has said: “The intention is always, you know, when we make changes, is because the intention is always, because we think that the plan with the players that they start against is the correct one.”
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