Chelsea chiefs make decision on scrapping Enzo Maresca plan after Qarabag let-down

Despite a surprising 2-2 draw against Qarabag in the Champions League, Chelsea will persist with Enzo Maresca's rotation policy. The Italian head coach made seven alterations to the Blues' line-up that triumphed over Tottenham, for the match in Azerbaijan, and later admitted that last summer's Club World Cup victory was starting to impact his star-studded squad.

Romeo Lavia had to be substituted after only eight minutes at the Azersun Arena due to a muscle injury, forcing midfielder Moises Caicedo, who has had little rest this season, to join the game on a night when he was supposed to be conserving his energy.

Maresca has also used a different centre-back duo in each of Chelsea's last 10 matches in all competitions, but the club are believed to be confident that they will benefit from the rotation strategy by the end of the season - both domestically and in Europe.

Chelsea's owners, board, sporting directors, and coaching staff collectively agree that refreshing the starting XI is essential to cope with the congested fixture schedule.

When the Blues return from the international break, they face a demanding sequence of 11 matches in all competitions before the end of 2025, spanning just four-and-a-half weeks.

Maresca, who clinched both the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup in his inaugural season at Stamford Bridge, is not feeling any internal pressure. The club's faith in him delivering more success in west London remains unshaken.

A year ago, the Chelsea head coach announced that captain Reece James was unable to participate in two matches per week due to his injury history, having previously undergone surgery on his hamstring.

However, Maresca has managed the right-back's fitness and conditioning with care, and now the England international is back to his peak form, proving to be one of the Blues' most reliable performers this season.

Several of the club's summer recruits, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho and Jorrel Hato are still acclimatising, but both wingers have shown signs of settling down in recent weeks after scoring their first goals for the club.

Midfielder Andrey Santos is also being earmarked for a promising future at Chelsea after the Blues rejected several offers for his services in the transfer window following his impressive loan stint with Strasbourg.

It's easy to overlook that Chelsea have also had to cope without their star player Cole Palmer, who has been grappling with a groin problem since the start of the season. There is hope he is now inching closer towards a return.