Enzo Maresca is a coach who is visibly as teasing as he is annoyed. At the head of a huge squad, which is overflowing with talent, particularly offensive talent, the Chelsea coach must manage the desire for playing time and the ambitions of numerous players, including French international Christopher Nkunku, the club’s flagship recruit. summer 2023 with the Blues.
Used sparingly this season, particularly in the Premier League where he has only played 163 minutes in 11 matches, the Frenchman could want more. Asked about this at a press conference on Wednesday, on the eve of the Blues’ match in the Europa Conference League, the very balding Enzo Maresca responded with irony. “Nkunku would like to play more? And I would like to have long hair. It’s like that…”
“Joao Felix played a Premier League match the other day against Leicester. And of course Christopher Nkunku will also play Premier League matches. But we have a lot of players and we try to share the minutes between them. We want to make them all happy, even if sometimes that’s not possible. »
“I spoke with Christopher a few days ago, he didn’t tell me that he was unhappy,” continues the Italian, who has categorically ruled out parting ways with the Frenchman this winter. Of course he would like to play more, but like many players. We have so many matches…”
Maresca does not isolate Nkunku, on the contrary. But he highlights a characteristic of his squad which has the merit of being obvious: he has too many alternatives. “It’s the same question with him as with the others: if you play with Cole (Palmer), Joao (Felix), Christo (Nkunku), Noni (Madueke), Jadon (Sancho)… who defends? » Fortunately for Maresca, Chelsea’s squad is also well stocked in defense.
