Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are training apart from the first team, with manager Enzo Maresca suggesting they may need to leave for more playing time.
Bollywood Fever: England internationals Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are currently training apart from Chelsea’s first team, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Wednesday, amid growing speculation about their potential departures from the Premier League club.
Both Sterling and Chilwell were absent from Sunday’s 2-0 loss to champions Manchester City, and Maresca indicated that their future playing time at Chelsea could be limited if they choose to stay.
“In this moment, they are training apart,” Maresca told reporters ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League playoff tie against Swiss side Servette.
“We have a big squad, and it’s impossible for me to give everyone minutes. So if they’re looking for minutes, probably it is better to leave.”
Maresca was candid about Sterling’s situation, noting that the winger, who has made 59 league appearances since joining Chelsea in 2022, does not fit the profile of the wingers he prefers for his system.
“I’m not saying he’s not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers,” Maresca explained. “I spoke with Raheem before Manchester City, and I said that he is going to struggle to get minutes with us.”
He echoed a similar sentiment regarding Chilwell, stating,
“With Ben, I said he is a lovely guy, but with his position, he’s going to struggle with us. It’s not brutal; it’s honest.”
Maresca acknowledged the discomfort of the situation but emphasized the importance of transparency.
“It’s not a comfortable situation… I think it is good to know that if you want to stay, you will struggle to get minutes… but in a few days or weeks, it can be a better situation because you move and join a club where you will get more minutes,” he added.
The manager also mentioned that he did not meet with Sterling after the match against City.
“In case I sit with Raheem, I will tell him exactly the same things that I already told him,” he said.
In addition, Maresca confirmed that Chelsea captain Reece James will miss Thursday’s match due to a hamstring injury. Despite the challenges, Maresca reaffirmed the team’s commitment to winning.
“We try to win every game we play. Against Man City, I don’t think the intention was to win the game, but we tried… and tomorrow is a game that we will try to win, and hopefully, we can win,” he concluded.
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