Ahead of the much-anticipated A.F.C. Bournemouth vs Chelsea F.C. Premier League showdown, Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Chelsea have no new injury concerns going into the fixture.
Following a frustrating defeat to Leeds United on Wednesday night, the Blues will aim to bounce back with a strong performance on the south coast. Bournemouth, who began the season brightly under Andoni Iraola, are now winless in their last five Premier League matches and have dropped to 14th in the table.
Whether certain players will feature in the A.F.C. Bournemouth vs Chelsea F.C. clash remains uncertain, but Maresca provided a clear update during his pre-match press conference on Friday morning. “Moi is suspended, but we don’t have any new injuries,” the head coach stated when asked about the squad’s condition.
Chelsea made five changes against Leeds, with Wesley Fofana absent from the squad, Moises Caicedo suspended, and Malo Gusto, captain Reece James, and Pedro Neto all starting from the bench. Maresca explained that the rotation is largely due to managing players’ fitness levels.
“Most of the rotation is because some players cannot play every three days,” he said. “This schedule is the most difficult thing for me this season. We played two days ago, travelled back from Leeds yesterday, and had a light session this morning—many players cannot take part because they’re still recovering.”
Chelsea will travel to the Vitality Stadium without Caicedo, who serves the second match of his three-game suspension, as well as Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, and Romeo Lavia, all sidelined with injuries.
One positive from the midweek defeat at Elland Road was the return of Cole Palmer, who made his comeback after two months out with a groin and toe injury. The England international featured for the final 30 minutes and could play a key role in the A.F.C. Bournemouth vs Chelsea F.C. encounter.
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