Enzo Maresca’s first pre-season as Chelsea manager has been very interesting so far. The Chelsea Chronicles assesses the winners and losers.
The Blues started their tour of the USA with an underwhelming 2-2 draw with League One side Wrexham followed by an even more concerning 4-1 defeat to Celtic.
Maresca’s side then bounced back with a 3-0 win over Club America and now, all of a sudden, fans are optimistic about the 2024/25 campaign.
The Italian’s tactics are different from those of former boss Mauricio Pochettino, which has been noticeable even at this early stage.
Maresca’s ideas clearly suit some players more than others, so The Chelsea Chronicle takes a look at the winners and losers of the West London club’s pre-season so far.
The winners of Enzo Maresca’s first Chelsea pre-season
Romeo Lavia
Romeo Lavia’s debut season at Stamford Bridge could not have gone much worse. The Belgium international was only able to play 32 minutes in all competitions.
Well, he has eased concerns over his fitness by starting – and performing relatively well – in each of Chelsea’s three pre-season friendlies.
Christopher Nkunku
Another player who struggled for fitness in the 2023/24 campaign was Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman arrived from RB Leipzig with lofty expectations but was not able to meet them as he spent far too long on the sidelines.
He has started and scored in every game of Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the USA, suggesting that he will be an integral part of the team for the foreseeable future.
Marc Guiu
Marc Guiu joined the Blues from Barcelona this summer in a £5 million deal. He was fully expected to be loaned out but, though that may still happen, he has proven that he can be a valuable squad player if Chelsea decide to keep him in the first-team squad.
The losers of Enzo Maresca’s first Chelsea pre-season
Ben Chilwell
As soon as Maresca was announced as Chelsea’s new manager, there were questions over Ben Chilwell’s position in the side. The left-back enjoys attacking from wide areas, while his new boss wants his full-backs to move into the centre of the pitch.
Chilwell has barely featured in pre-season and, when Marc Cucurella returns from his summer break, he will be even less likely to play.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Carney Chukwuemeka suffered an injury last season just as he was beginning to find his feet at Stamford Bridge. He would have been looking for a strong pre-season performance but it has not panned out that way.
The former Aston Villa midfielder disappointed in the Blues’ first two games and was dropped for the third against Club America.
Armando Broja
Armando Broja’s loan move to Fulham in the second half of the 2023/24 season did not go as he would have liked. Going there to prove he is a Premier League-calibre striker, he found himself sidelined by Rodrigo Muniz.
This summer, he has been overshadowed by Guiu and it seems that his future lies away from Chelsea, whether it be a short-term or permanent departure.
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