ENZO MARESCA cancelled a day off for senior Chelsea stars after they flopped in a training session with the club’s U21s.
The first-team players who did not go away on international duty were supposed to enjoy a rest on Thursday.
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But Maresca was so incensed by the standards he witnessed during Wednesday’s session that he changed his mind and demanded they show up again at the club’s base in Cobham.
The Italian told the players in no uncertain terms that he would not tolerate any slacking off as Chelsea approach the business end of the season.
The Blues boss made it clear that he expected every member of his squad to give the maximum as the team chase Champions League qualification and Europa Conference League glory.
During the international break Maresca worked with the first-team squad members who remained at the club after the likes of captain Reece James and Enzo Fernandez joined up with their countries.
And the Blues boss was bitterly disappointed to see Chelsea youngsters outwork and outperform senior stars.
It was claimed that a team made up of under-21 players and even some from the under-16s won 3-0 against a side whose core was first-teamers.
Donnell McNeilly, of the Under-21s, was said to have scored twice, with Chizzy Ezenwata, 16, claiming the other.
But it is understood there was no formal match and the action was part of a stop-start training session.
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Nevertheless Maresca was upset enough with what he saw to punish the first teamers and lay down a marker for the rest of the season.
A number of Chelsea’s international stars returned to training today [FRI] and the standards are believed to have been much higher.
Players who were unavailable
The Blues are back in action next Thursday with a London derby against Tottenham.
Meanwhile off the pitch Chelsea’s estranged owners are united in their mission to demolish Stamford Bridge.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have put aside their differences to agree to pursue a completely new stadium instead of redeveloping their current home.
But it remains to be seen if Chelsea will stay at the Bridge during construction of a new ground.
Boehly is believed to favour building a new stadium at Earl’s Court, while Twickenham could end up being used as a temporary home.
