Why Enzo Maresca is ready to take calculated Chelsea fitness risk vs Leicester

Enzo Maresca has confirmed the Chelsea team he will select to start against Leicester City will not be fully fit.

The Chelsea head coach is preparing to face his old club for the first time since leaving the Foxes and will hope to claim victory on his return to the King Power Stadium.

It will be Chelsea‘s first game back after the November international break, which has seen many Blues be selected for duty by their respective nations.

Most of the Chelsea group reunited earlier this week at Cobham, with Maresca giving the squad Wednesday off before returning to Cobham on Thursday to complete their preparations.

Unlike those in Europe, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have travelled long distances and returned on Thursday, but will be required to be called upon by Maresca this weekend.

“For us, for all of the clubs, there is always a little bit of doubt because we do not know how they are going to come back,” Maresca said on Thursday when asked about factoring international performances into his selection.

“As I said, today is the first session – 48 hours before the game – that we worked with 12, 13, 14 players that were with internationals. Some of them came back this morning from Argentina, from South America, so it is not easy. We will see. We still have 48 hours.”

With Caicedo and Fernandez back in training, Chelsea will likely assess Romeo Lavia, who picked up a minor knock against Arsenal and didn’t feature in either of Belgium’s matches against France and Israel. Maresca only confirmed one absentee – Reece James – for the trip to Leicester, hinting the 20-year-old could be available.

Other options in midfield are Renato Veiga, Cesare Casadei and former Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Maresca to select from against the Foxes. But whoever is involved, Maresca insists they will find the balance despite accepting they won’t be 100 per cent.

Maresca added: “Renato Veiga did it in some games, but he also played 180 minutes with Portugal. In the cup, Cesare Casadei did very well but he also played both games with Italy Under-21s. So, for sure, the ones that will play will not be 100 per cent because they are human beings.

“When you play two games in South America and you have to come back and play, even if you are only 20 years old or 25, you are tired, it doesn’t matter, you’re a human being. Hopefully, we can find the right balance.”