October 20th 2024.
Enzo Maresca, the head coach of Chelsea, was asked to explain his decision to make two substitutions during the team's recent match against Liverpool at Anfield. In the game, Mohamed Salah scored a goal and assisted in another, helping Arne Slot's team secure a 2-1 victory and reclaim their spot at the top of the Premier League table.
One of the substitutions made by Maresca was Reece James, the team's captain, who had just returned from injury to make his first appearance of the season. The other was Romeo Lavia, who was also named in the starting lineup. During his post-match press conference, Maresca revealed that he had decided to substitute both players before the hour mark as a precautionary measure.
"I was a bit afraid to give them more minutes on the pitch," Maresca explained. "For James and Romeo, it was 45 minutes to one hour maximum. I decided to change them after 50, 55 minutes."
Maresca went on to speak about the team's overall performance, saying, "I think there were many good things about our performance. To come to this stadium and dominate most of the game against a team like Liverpool is not easy. If we had been able to maintain the 1-1 scoreline for longer, the result might have been different."
The Italian coach also revealed that his intention was to play the same way the team trains every day, and that was evident in their performance against Liverpool. When asked about the performance of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Maresca expressed his satisfaction, saying, "I'm very happy with Robert. He's been doing fantastic with us, not just in building from the back but also making important saves."
Chelsea will be back in action on Thursday with a trip to Greece to face Panathinaikos in the Conference League. Despite the recent defeat, Maresca remains positive and focused on the team's upcoming matches. For more news, exclusives, and analysis on Chelsea, be sure to sign up and read our privacy policy, which is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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