According to Metro, Chelsea will begin their UEFA Conference League journey with their star, Cole Palmer. The current form of Chelsea and the decision to exclude key players from the squad has received criticism from the fans and pundits.
Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, and Wesley Fofana are some big names, who are not in the UEFA Conference League squad for the Blues. This decision by Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, has surprised the fans and football experts. However, the manager is concerned about the long-term, regarding the squad depth, injuries, and overall club’s schedule for the season. Chelsea qualified for the Conference League after a disappointing performance in the Premier League last season.
The struggles under Mauricio Pochettino last season are haunting the Blues this year. Chelsea’s place in the Conference League group stages was secured through a tense 3-2 aggregate win over Swiss side, Servette.
The official squad of the Blues reminds the fans to keep a long-term hope for the current season. Chelsea have the option to re-submit their squad for the knockout stages of the competition in February 2025, if they qualify. This gives them the flexibility to put their squad depth to great use. Enzo Maresca will definitely bring in Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, and Wesley Fofana in the later stages of the tournament.
Big changes in the club this summer
Chelsea have gone through many changes in the summer, both on and off the field. The Blues also announced the departure of Chris Jurasek, the club’s chief executive. Jurasek will return to Clearlake Capital, the co-controlling owners of Chelsea. Jurasek’s time at Chelsea was full of controversies. Things got heated up when Jurasek referred to Chelsea fans as “customers”. This approach caused outrage among the loyal Chelsea supporters. Jurasek’s tenure saw an increase in general admission season ticket prices in over a decade.
Jason Gannon will be the new man in Chelsea’s leadership. Gannon has a huge task to keep a balance between the commercial interests of the club’s owners and the expectations of the Chelsea fans. Moreover, Chelsea are going through a transition phase and things are difficult both on and off the field. The Blues are a club with huge influence and a fan following worldwide. They have entered their new era after appointing Enzo Maresca this summer.
The Blues also made over a dozen signings and also sold ineffective players. Chelsea are planning to build a squad for the long-term and doing appear to doing a decent job.
A difficult season ahead for Chelsea
Chelsea started their season with an inconsistent form, replicating the story of last season. The Blues lost to Manchester City, got a huge win against Wolves, and managed a draw against Crystal Palace. Although their performances are much better than the pre-season, they are still far from being a world-class team.
Enzo Mareca has the big job of guiding Chelsea back to the top of domestic and European football. The Blues will have to bounce back after the international break and get some positive momentum.
Enzo Maresca’s squad rotation and the fitness of key players will be an important factor in Chelsea’s season. They are recently suffered a big loss from the injury to Malo Gusto. After former Chelsea captain Reece James’s injury, Gusto stepped up to fill the void in the right-back position.
Chelsea fans are also waiting for the debut of their new signing Jadon Sancho from Manchester United. Enzo Maresca also has some work to do on Chelsea’s tactics after conceding an equalizer from outside of the penalty box against Crystal Palace. Chelsea will play against Bournemouth after the international break is over.
For more sports updates, make sure to follow us on:
