Chelsea Boss Enzo Maresca Scraps Off Day After Seniors Fall to Youth Team

• After losing to the under-21 team, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca decided against giving the veteran players their scheduled day off.
• In 2025, the Blues have declined, securing only four victories in league play, and they are now fighting for a spot in the Champions League.
• The Blues are gearing up for the upcoming London derby against Tottenham Hotspur following their defeat by Arsenal in their previous match.

The manager of Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, decided against giving his senior team members a scheduled break following their defeat by the club’s U-21 side, which ended with a scoreline of 3-0 during a practice match.

Why did Chelsea decide to cancel their rest day?

As reported by The Athletic, Maresca was unimpressed with what he observed, resulting in the veteran players having one fewer day off this week.

The document also states that this was not a complete match; however, the young squad performed exceptionally well, with 19-year-old Donnell McNeilly scoring two out of their three goals.

The senior players who weren’t part of the national team took part in the game, whereas the Under-21 and Under-16 squads were picked to even out the teams.

Chelsea's next match is next week on Thursday, April 6, and players were expected to have March 27 as an off day but the Italian reversed his decision.

Currently, The Blues find themselves in the midst of a slump after an impressive beginning under Mresca. Initially seen as potential champions, their string of unfavorable outcomes has put securing a place in the Champions League out of reach for now.

Chelsea supporters respond to Maresca's choice

@RobertBlaszczak:

The U21 team facing Tottenham Hotspur would bring several advantages: 1) a stronger competitive spirit, 2) better engagement with local fans, and 3) lower expenses for bonus payments. Nothing but positives.

@AWANBOYXE:

He called off his day off. As though he had an alternative plan for the team. He doesn’t have anything else to contribute.

@Cetrick5:

I find it surprising that he is feeling let down now, as his performance has been sluggish since mid-December.

@mn_itsmmn:

Baldness doesn’t turn you into Guardiola!! Leave my club and head over to coach some League 2 teams, pal!

Is Chelsea going to secure a place in the Champions League?

As the Premier League enters its final nine games, Chelsea sit in fourth place with 49 points, maintaining a narrow five-point lead over 10th-place Bournemouth.

The positive development is that both Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke have returned to training. Palmer was absent from their match against Arsenal as well as his international commitments with England because of a slight injury.

Since December 22 of the previous year, the Blues have emerged victorious in four games. These victories came against lower-ranked teams: Wolves, West Ham, Southampton, and Leicester.

They haven't secured a victory in an away match since December 8, when they trounced Tottenham Hotspur.

"We're starting with an aim to secure victories during our away matches. Currently, we've been successful playing at home and intend to replicate this success when traveling. Earlier in the season, things were different—we won more often away from home but had trouble performing well domestically. Our focus now must shift towards improving our performance as visitors; however, generally speaking, I believe we’re in a solid position," explained Maresca following their defeat against Arsenal according to Football London.

Why aren't there any Premier League matches scheduled for this coming weekend?

.co.ke Previously discussed the reasons for the absence of Premier League games this weekend.

This weekend will see no league football due to an agreement made by the Football Association (FA) this season. However, the FA Cup quarter-finals will still take place as scheduled.