Enzo Maresca has flexed his managerial muscles once more, revealing he has left yet another Chelsea ace out in the cold. The no-nonsense Chelsea manager excluded Renato Veiga for the Boxing Day match against Fulham, not long after England winger Noni Madueke found himself sidelined —a recurring theme for this season.
Shedding light on the rationale behind these bold moves, Maresca spoke of "technical" reasons, signalling that both players weren't injured. Despite Veiga, the £12 million summer signing, being a fixture in the squad and contributing to seven games this term, his absence notably meant the Blues' bench was brimming with youth.
But unpromptedly, Maresca wanted to make it public that he was not happy with his midfielder.
Maresca said: "For sure, the competition has to be higher but not only for Noni Madueke but also Renato Veiga was not in the squad and the reason is exactly the same for both of them. There is not any different reason, it’s just a technical decision."
It's clear Maresca is applying a stringent 'tough love' approach, especially with Madueke, having already cautioned the player about maintaining "consistency" earlier in August. A pattern emerges with Madueke being dropped from the victorious Aston Villa encounter, a direct consequence of a lapse in training performance standards.
Madueke made his point by netting a goal in the 5-1 triumph over Southampton, and now he's urging teammates to show similar resolve in the upcoming Ipswich clash. Maresca confirmed that a return for the pair is on the cards for the Ipswich game, stating: "Sometimes we just take a decision and it’s no more than that."
He cited Keenan Dewsbury-Hall's injury as the reason for his absence in the Fulham fray, while challenging the other two to emulate Madueke's earlier response, expressing his anticipation: "He was very good, fantastic and he responded very good at that time so there is no more than that. I expect the same this time, yeah absolutely."
Cole Palmer reflected on the Fulham defeat admitting it was a learning curve, underscoring the team's need to bounce back against Ipswich. Palmer said: "‘It’s a good opportunity to learn, rest, recover, and play in three days.
"We just keep going now. We knew we weren’t going to win every single game we play. It’s the manager’s first season with us and we’re learning.
"Everyone has said from the start we’re not a title contender, we’re just playing, winning, getting better as a team, growing, and that’s what we’re doing."
