Maresca defends rotating squad after Chelsea draw

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca defended his decision to rotate his squad after the Premier League side were held to a 2-2 draw by Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Maresca made seven changes from the team that defeated Tottenham last weekend, resting key midfielders Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo following a demanding travel schedule and congested fixture list. The result leaves Chelsea with eight points from four games, level with the Azerbaijani champions but with little margin for error in their remaining group fixtures.

Chelsea took an early lead through teenage winger Estêvão, but goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic—who converted from the penalty spot—turned the match around before halftime. Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half strike salvaged a point for the visitors, who looked below their best after a 2,500-mile journey to Baku.

Maresca defended his approach, emphasizing the need to manage player workloads after a shortened offseason.

“The selection is always because we think the plan with the players is the correct one,” Maresca said. “We started well, scored the goal, but conceded two we could avoid. Some players cannot play every three days. The Club World Cup affected us a lot, and rotation is necessary.”

Chelsea won the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States just five weeks before the start of the Premier League season, beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final. Maresca said the quick turnaround had disrupted the squad’s preseason preparations.

“The intention was to rest Moisés, Enzo, Malo [Gusto] and more players,” he added. “When we win, no one mentions rotation; when we don’t, everyone focuses on it.”

The evening brought further concern as midfielder Romeo Lavia limped off in the first half with what appeared to be a quadriceps injury. The 20-year-old has struggled for fitness since joining the club, having made only 30 appearances in more than two years.

“We feel a shame for him, especially for him,” Maresca said. “He’s not been able to stay fit for a long time. We’ll assess him, but it looks like a quad problem.”

The draw leaves Chelsea’s qualification hopes finely balanced, with four group-stage games remaining. Maresca’s side return to domestic action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, just 72 hours after their trip to Azerbaijan.

Despite the setback, Maresca urged patience with his evolving squad.

“We were much better in the second half,” he said. “Every game is a chance for the players to show why they are here.”

Chelsea will need to quickly rediscover consistency as they navigate a demanding schedule across domestic and European competitions.