Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca reportedly cancelled his side's scheduled day off after the first-team's 3-0 loss to the club's under-21s in training.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
- Chelsea first-team loses to U21s in training
- Maresca cancels scheduled day off as a result
- Blues under mounting pressure
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
-
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to The Athletic, Maresca had scheduled for everyone to have Thursday (March 27) off but he scrapped the idea after his first-team, made up of non-internationals and top academy players, were well beaten by their younger, more inexperienced counterparts in midweek. It was not a 90-minute game but the manner of the defeat displeased the Italian.
Advertisement
- Getty Images Sport
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea were challenging for the Premier League title at the tail end of last year but a poor run of form has left them in a fierce battle for Champions League qualification and questions are mounting over Maresca's long-term future. This act from the ex-Leicester City boss shows he wants to maintain high standards at the Blues, though.
-
DID YOU KNOW?
In the training match, where the under-21s even called on under-16s to play, Donnell McNeilly reportedly scored two goals for the younger of the teams.
- Getty Images
WHAT NEXT?
Maresca will hope his Chelsea players improve a great deal when they host local rivals Tottenham next Thursday in the Premier League.