Chelsea Defender Maresca Minimizes Sterling, Disasi Absence, Attributes His Father's Fishing Occupation as "Tough Livelihood"
Chelsea's Squad Drama: Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, and Alejandro Garnacho in the Spotlight
In the world of football, drama often unfolds both on and off the pitch. For Chelsea, the off-pitch drama surrounding three of their players – Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, and Alejandro Garnacho – has been making headlines.
Firstly, Raheem Sterling's future at Chelsea remains uncertain. The England international, who earns £325,000 per week, opted to stay in London to be close to his family, but his exclusion from the first-team squad has sparked conversations. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has dismissed these discussions, maintaining that if no solution is found, the player is given all the tools to train and do anything, but if not in the squad, they are not in the squad.
Sterling's exclusion has not gone unnoticed by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), who are in touch with Chelsea to ensure both he and Disasi continue to train properly despite their absence from matchday squads. Disasi's current contract with Chelsea runs until 2029, but he finds himself outside Maresca's first-team plans. Despite interest from Ligue 1 side Monaco, no formal loan offer was made, and Chelsea are trying to offload him before the transfer deadline.
Disasi's situation mirrors that of Maresca's former player, Raheem Sterling. Maresca, who has previously been in both Sterling and Disasi's situation as a player, emphasised the need for resilience in such situations. He stated that if Garnacho faces boos at Old Trafford, he will need to learn to endure such situations.
Meanwhile, Garnacho, a new signing from Manchester United, may make his first start for Chelsea this weekend. His move to Chelsea came after a period of frustration at being left out of the starting lineup for the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. Garnacho was previously sidelined by United boss Ruben Amorim, who ordered him to train separately from the squad.
The drama at Chelsea is not limited to their senior players. Youngster Alejandro Garnacho has been training away from the senior group, prompting conversations between Chelsea and the PFA about their treatment. FIFA rules prohibit clubs from treating players in a way that could be viewed as abusive, and those found guilty can face sanctions, while affected players could even terminate their contracts on "just cause."
The latest episode in this saga was the jeers directed at Marc Cucurella during Chelsea's match at Old Trafford earlier this week. Cucurella's jeers were linked to a handball incident during Euro 2024 that went unpunished. Maresca's comments regarding Cucurella were a reminder that football, like life, is full of ups and downs, and players must learn to navigate these challenges with resilience.
In a nod to his father's decades of grueling work as a fisherman, Maresca emphasised the importance of hard work and resilience. As the drama at Chelsea continues to unfold, these values will undoubtedly be tested.
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