Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has blamed the club’s congested fixture schedule for his decision to drop forward Cole Palmer from the starting lineup in Sunday’s goalless Premier League clash against Brentford.
Maresca, speaking after the 0-0 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium, insisted that fatigue played a major role in his team selection. Chelsea had just 72 hours to recover from their 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Thursday night, compared to Brentford’s extra day of rest.
“We played Thursday night — it was a demanding match. The players weren’t all at 100 percent,” Maresca said. “It’s unfair at this stage of the season. We had to adapt. Yes, 24 hours makes a big difference.”
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Cole Palmer, who has now gone 12 games without a goal in all competitions, was brought on after an hour but failed to convert a late chance, firing over the bar in stoppage time. Despite his dip in form, Maresca stressed that Palmer’s exclusion was due to physical demands, not performance.
“The idea was to start in one way and finish in another. The plan nearly worked — the only thing we lacked was the goal,” Maresca added.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank echoed Maresca’s concerns, calling the schedule “challenging” and even took a swipe at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, labeling it “ridiculous.”
“Another tournament. Will I watch it? No chance,” Frank said bluntly.
Chelsea remain fourth on the Premier League table, with a top-five finish likely to secure UEFA Champions League qualification next season. The Blues now shift focus to their UEFA Conference League quarter-final clash against Legia Warsaw on Thursday.
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Despite European commitments, Maresca reiterated that qualifying for the Champions League remains Chelsea’s top priority.
“Our target is to bring this club back to where it belongs — the Champions League,” he affirmed.
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