Being a fisherman is a ‘hard life’, being an ostracised footballer is not, says Enzo Maresca

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has defended the club’s treatment of ostracised duo Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, saying his father’s life as a fisherman is more difficult.

Sterling and Disasi are part of Maresca’s ‘bomb squad’ as they are training away from the first team.

After failing to secure a move away in the summer transfer window, the unwanted pair will likely have to wait until January at the earliest to play competitive football, with Sterling earning more than £300,000 a week and Disasi on around £80,000.

It’s hardly financially beneficial for Chelsea, and a report on Thursday claimed that the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has initiated talks with the Blues over their treatment of the pair.

Maresca was asked about Disasi and Sterling training separately from his team in his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United. He said: “I’ve been in Raheem’s and Axel’s situation as a player. For sure, I know it is not the best feeling for a player.

“For different reasons, the situation is the situation at the moment, but I know the club is giving them the situation to work in the right way.”

Asked if the situation is mentally challenging for them, Maresca continued: “My father is 75 years old and for 50 years he’s been a fisherman, working from two o’clock in the morning till 10 o’clock in the morning. This is a hard life – not the way a player works.”

Maresca added: “When no solution is found, you give the player all the tools to train and do anything, but if you are not in the squad, you are not in the squad. It’s not about Chelsea, it is about any club in the world.”

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Chelsea face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, with Alejandro Garnacho expected to face his former club.

“In the last two games, he was very good when he came on,” Maresca said. “We are happy with the way he is adapting to our style and what we want from the winger. I think he is ready to start.”

On facing United away from home, he said: “It’s always difficult to play United away at Old Trafford. Now is not the right moment, next year or last year, it is always difficult.

“Some of the games they have played this season are not the real result. Even the Man City game – until 1-0, 2-0 they were in the game. At 0-0 they had a few chances to score. It will be a tough game, no doubt.

“Absolutely not [under extra pressure]. I have pressure on all the games to try and win them all. We always have pressure. Bayern Munich away, PSG away and Barcelona away are probably the worst stadiums to play in the Champions League.”

In terms of team news, Maresca confirmed that Cole Palmer is fit. He said: “Cole is okay. We have a session now, we flew back yesterday (Thursday).

“We need to assess some players, we have some doubts. We didn’t have a session since Wednesday’s game, but we will see.”

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