Enzo Maresca – Football Flame

Chelsea injury news and return dates as fresh blow confirmed after Fulham win

21Apr

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Chelsea injury news and return dates as fresh blow confirmed after Fulham win

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, talks to Cole Palmer during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on April 20, 2025 in London, England. Chelsea secured a huge win on Sunday as they continue their battle for a Champions League spot, but it came at a cost. The Blues fought back from behind at Craven Cottage to win 2-1, with Tyrique George levelling the score-line and Pedro Neto slamming in a brilliant winner in stoppage time. After the game, Blues boss Enzo Maresca described the win as his side’s ‘toughest’ of the season so far. He said: “Today was an important win because first of all it's a derby, second it gives us the chance to be there [in the Champions League qualification places]. It was probably the most diffic...

Enzo Maresca blasted over his ‘Pathetic’ team selection at Brentford

10Apr

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Enzo Maresca blasted over his ‘Pathetic’ team selection at Brentford

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - APRIL 6: Chelsea's Cole Palmer (right) shares a moment at the end of the match with manager Enzo Maresca during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Chelsea FC at Gtech Community Stadium on April 6, 2025 in Brentford, England. Paul Merson has branded Enzo Maresca's team selection against Brentford 'pathetic' in a disparaging assessment of the Chelsea manager's priorities. Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season took a concerning hit on Sunday as Brentford held the Blues to a frustrating 0-0 stalemate in west London, profiting from Maresca's decision to shuffle his pack ahead of Thursday's Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warszawa. Maresca's XI for Brentford raised eyebrows before the match as key first-team playe...

Maresca: ‘We are targeting top four this season’

21Feb

By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

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Maresca: ‘We are targeting top four this season’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 25: A dejected looking Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca after the 3-1 loss during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Chelsea FC at Etihad Stadium on January 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. Enzo Maresca has reiterated everyone at Chelsea are determined to 'bring this club to where it deserves to be' and stated Champions League qualification remains our objective this season. Just a point separates Manchester City in fourth and us in sixth in the Premier League table ahead of the weekend slate, which includes Chelsea trip to Villa Park tomorrow evening. It is set to be a race that goes down to the wire, and depending on English teams’ results in European competition this season, fifth place might also be enough for Champions League football ...

Maresca ‘completely happy’ with Nicolas Jackson

13Jan

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Maresca ‘completely happy’ with Nicolas Jackson

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield on October 20, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images) It may have been a month since Nicolas Jackson last scored for Chelsea, but Enzo Maresca says he is 'completely happy' with the striker and his performances. Our four-game run without a win in the Premier League has coincided with Jackson’s relatively lean spell in front of goal. Prior to that, he had netted nine goals in 15 league appearances, a figure Maresca notes would have been higher if he took spot-kicks for the Blues, like strikers often do at other clubs. The head coach offered encouragement to Jac...

Maresca teases January transfers for Chelsea after Palace draw

5Jan

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Maresca teases January transfers for Chelsea after Palace draw

Chelsea's Italian head coach Enzo Maresca consoles his players on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in south London on January 4, 2025. The game finished 1-1. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hinted at a push for defensive reinforcements during the January transfer window after his side were held to a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Blues have failed to win their last four matches, drawing with Everton and most recently Palace on either side of defeats to Fulham and Ipswich Town. Maresca had presided over eight successive victories before a bleak run over the festive period, which has coincided with a glut of defensive injuries. While club captain Reece James has on...

18Dec

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Maresca believes in Mudryk innocence

COBHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Head Coach Enzo Maresca of Chelsea during the UEFA Conference League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 training and press conference at Chelsea Training Ground on December 18, 2024 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes Mykhailo Mudryk did not knowingly take a banned supplement. The Blues said Tuesday they were notified by the Football Association of an "adverse finding" in a urine sample provided by the 23-year-old Ukrainian winger. Mudryk said in an Instagram post the results of his 'A' sample had come as a "complete shock" and insisted he had not intentionally taken a banned substance. "We trust Misha," said Maresca on Wednesday."When this kind of thing happens you need to support you...

Predicted Chelsea line-up vs Newcastle United as Cole Palmer returns and £215m midfield duo

26Oct

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Predicted Chelsea line-up vs Newcastle United as Cole Palmer returns and £215m midfield duo

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca could change his entire starting XI from the one that beat Panathinaikos 4-1 on Thursday night when Newcastle United come to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Blues boss was able to leave a host of first-team regulars in West London as they jetted out to Greece for their Europa Conference League game, and he is set to ring the changes again for this weekend's Premier League test against Eddie Howe's side. Of the side that started against Panathinaikos, only two are likely to keep their place against Newcastle, with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez expected to start on Sunday - although Maresca has options to replace both. However he is expected to make at least NINE changes this weekend, with Cole Palmer likely to start. The Premier League's in-form star didn't e...

Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea injury boost ahead of Brighton as star returns

27Sep

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea injury boost ahead of Brighton as star returns

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed a major injury boost ahead of this weekend's Premier League clash with Brighton.The Blues will welcome Romeo Lavia back into the fold after missing the last five weeks with a hamstring injury he picked up in training. BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca shouts instructions to his team from the technical area during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Chelsea FC at Vitality Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by David Horton - CameraSport via Getty Images) The 20-year-old - who joined Chelsea from Southampton in an initial £53million transfer- made just one substitute appearance last season after suffering from a number of injury issues. However, Lavia was one of the...

Maresca admits he was ‘worried’ before Chelsea’s clash with Servette

30Aug

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Maresca admits he was ‘worried’ before Chelsea’s clash with Servette

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca admitted he had been 'very worried' ahead of his team's Conference League play-off second leg against Servette after they narrowly survived a scare to scrape through despite a 2-1 defeat in Geneva. Following a 2-0 first-leg victory a week ago, Christopher Nkunku's early penalty extended the Blues' lead in the tie to seemingly extinguish any hope the Swiss side had of pulling off a surprise result. But thereafter things went awry for Maresca as Servette hit back with two goals to stun his team, first when Jeremy Guillemenot drilled past Filip Jorgensen to level things on the night before half-time then again when Enzo Crivelli headed in to set up a nervous finish. 'I think the first half an hour was comfortable and we had three or four chances to make it...

Wolves vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups

25Aug

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Wolves vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups

Chelsea are on the road this weekend as they travel to the West Midlands to face Gary O'Neil's Wolverhampton Wanderers. It's been a busy start to Enzo Maresca's reign. After succumbing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the 2024/25 season, the Blues toppled Servette 2-0 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off on Thursday. There have been bright sparks in west London, but Maresca has a huge task on his hands in year one if he's to appease a wildly inflated Chelsea squad. The Italian will hope his squad dwindles in size considerably over the next week. Wolves are aiming to inflict another Premier League defeat upon the new Chelsea boss while securing their first triumph of 2024/25 themselves. O'Neil's side certainly weren't overwhelmed at Arsenal last weekend and we...

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca provides Cole Palmer injury update after Servette win

23Aug

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca provides Cole Palmer injury update after Servette win

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has downplayed injury concerns regarding Cole Palmer, who left the pitch in apparent discomfort following their Europa Conference League match against Servette. The 22-year-old attacker was listed as a substitute for Thursday's first-leg clash at Stamford Bridge but joined the group warming up at half-time after a poor first-half performance from the Blues. Christopher Nkunku helped calm Chelsea fans' nerves by converting a penalty in the 50th minute before Enzo Fernandez set up Noni Madueke for the winner. Palmer was one of three substitutions made after 58 minutes, replacing Marc Guiu, while Madueke and Fernandez were the other two players brought on. The England international was spotted feeling his hamstring as he made his way off the pitch and straight do...

Chelsea vs Man City: Preview, predictions and lineups

18Aug

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

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Chelsea vs Man City: Preview, predictions and lineups

The Enzo Maresca era at Chelsea begins with the toughest test possible as the Blues welcome Premier League champions Manchester City to Stamford Bridge this Sunday. The Italian, who guided Leicester City to the Championship title last season, has replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout and will face his former employers on his competitive Chelsea debut. However, a torrid pre-season campaign - which included a 4-2 defeat to Man City - shows patience will be key as Maresca ushers in a new football philosophy in west London. Some things don't change, though. Chelsea have been as frantic as ever in the transfer market, spending big and snapping up the world's brightest talent. Their squad is overflowing heading into the 2024/25 season. Man City have been comparatively quiet in the market...