January 11th 2025.
Noni Madueke, a talented young player for Chelsea, was noticeably absent from the team's 5-0 victory over Morecambe in the FA Cup on Saturday. In a recent press conference, Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea head coach, explained why Madueke was not included in the lineup for the game.
Despite the absence of Madueke, Chelsea was able to secure their spot in the fourth round thanks to impressive performances from Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Felix, who both scored two goals each. Christopher Nkunku also got on the scoresheet, although he did miss a penalty in the first half. As expected, Maresca made several changes to the starting lineup, giving rare starts to Reece James, Renato Veiga, Tyrique George, and Marc Guiu.
However, the absence of Madueke was a surprise to many, as the winger has been in good form this season with six goals and four assists in 22 appearances. There was no indication before the game that he was dealing with an injury, leading to speculation that there may have been a falling out between him and Maresca after he was left out of the squad for a recent game against Fulham.
But Maresca cleared up any confusion, stating that Madueke was actually suffering from an illness and was unable to finish training the day before the game. It is uncertain if he will be fit enough to play in Chelsea's upcoming match against Bournemouth on Tuesday, as the team is also dealing with several other injuries and suspensions.
Despite the team's injury concerns and rotation, their performance against Morecambe was still impressive. Centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo stood out, with Maresca praising his ability to carry the ball and his impressive strike from the edge of the box. Maresca also mentioned that it can be difficult to see a defender make such a play, but Tosin proved that he is capable of doing so.
In the end, Chelsea's victory over Morecambe was a team effort, and Maresca was pleased with the performance and result. It remains to be seen if Madueke will be back in the lineup for their next game, but his absence did not hinder Chelsea's success in the FA Cup.
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