Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again

Enzo Maresca refused to call on Ben Chilwell during Chelsea's draw with Inter Milan (Image: Getty)

Ben Chilwell will have been scratching his head as the final whistle signalled the end of Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Inter Milan on Sunday. Another pre-season game came and went without the vice-captain seeing a single minute of action, made all the more concerning by the fact Enzo Maresca will lead his side into their Premier League opener against Manchester City in less than a week.

Chilwell - a player with 21 England caps and eight seasons of top-flight experience - should be hitting top gear at 27 years old. But he has watched Chelsea's last three pre-season games entirely from the bench.

Marc Cucurella was given the nod to start on the left side of defence against Inter, who took the lead through Marcus Thuram before Lesley Ugochukwu's late equaliser.

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No major surprises there; Cucurella was superb in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph and fits neatly into Maresca's system, which sees the left-back slot into a three-man defensive line when Chelsea are in possession.

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Chilwell, as a forward-thinking full-back, is not a natural fit for that particular role. And the brutal reality of Maresca's preferences became clear at half-time when, with the manager keen to give Cucurella a rest, he turned to Renato Veiga.

Chelsea signed the 21-year-old for £12million earlier this summer, and if he is the player to provide back up for Cucurella in the left-sided hybrid role this season, it leaves Chilwell in a precarious position.

Ben Chilwell's first-team action has been severely limited during pre-season (Image: Getty)

Ahead of Chelsea's pre-season tour of the USA, which they are now back from, Chilwell told the club's official website: "We are really enjoying life under our new head coach Enzo Maresca.

"He is a really hands-on coach, which the players like. He is taking the sessions, he is leading the meetings and even at this early stage of pre-season, we are already really clear on what is expected of each of us in our respective positions."

If Maresca is, as Chilwell says, clear about what he wants from each player, then the left-back has, so far, been unable to meet the manager's demands.

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Maresca skirted around the issue at the end of July, saying: "Chilly is a left-back, for sure. The Chilly situation is a bit delicate. We are trying to find a solution for him in terms of a position. He probably needs a bit of time."

There are no warm-ups left for Chelsea or Chilwell. Next up is a full-blooded, competitive clash with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. And with Maresca making it crystal clear during pre-season that £50m man Chilwell is miles down his pecking order, it surely won't be long before suitors come calling for a player who may never line up in blue again.

Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again

Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again

Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again

Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again

Enzo Maresca sends brutal message to Chelsea star who may never play for club again