Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has highlighted the absence of two influential players following the Blues’ 3–1 defeat to Leeds United in Wednesday night’s Premier League encounter at Elland Road.
Chelsea were punished by goals from Ao Tanaka, Jaka Bijol and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, leaving Maresca’s side without points from the mid-week fixture.
Speaking after the match, Maresca admitted that his squad felt the impact of missing midfielder Moises Caicedo and creative talisman Cole Palmer, both of whom were unavailable for full involvement.
Caicedo is currently serving a three-match suspension after being sent off during Chelsea’s recent clash with Arsenal. Palmer, meanwhile, has only just returned from a spell on the sidelines and was introduced from the bench against Leeds as he works toward regaining full match sharpness.
“I think, again, we missed Moi tonight; we are going to miss Moi in the next game,” Maresca said.
“He is an important player. In the same way, even if the results were different, but in the same way we missed Cole, in the same way we missed players that for us are important.
“Moi is a player that for us is an important player for any team in the world, because he is top.”
Despite the setback, Chelsea will aim to regroup as they prepare for their next Premier League assignment, with Maresca hoping to have key players fully available as soon as possible.
About the Author
