Manager Enzo Maresca stated before of Sunday’s Premier League encounter against rivals Fulham that Chelsea’s players must accept the pressure they are under and make the most of the few games they have left to salvage their season.
Following poor draws with Brentford and relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, Maresca’s team, which is hoping to return to the Champions League after two disastrous seasons, has dropped to sixth position in the league rankings.
Despite suffering a shocking 2-1 loss to Legia Warsaw of Poland in the second leg of their Europa Conference League match on Thursday, the London club advanced to the competition’s semi-finals with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
“No, there isn’t a bad time right now,” Maresca told reporters when asked if Chelsea’s derby matchup against Fulham was a negative one.
There is just one appropriate time to play any game right now.
“We have six Premier League games, plus the two Conference League semi-final games.
“So at the moment, we have eight official games to play, and all of them, it’s a good time to play.
“It’s all important. We cannot decide in which moment. Now is the moment to go if we want to reach something.”
With forwards Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson both experiencing protracted goal droughts, Chelsea has been lacking in offensive power in recent weeks.
Only if the pair can regain their form will the team be able to place in the top five, according to Maresca.
“They have scored goals (in the past).
“It’s just a moment that they need to turn a little bit that moment.
“But I said before, Cole scored 14 goals in 20 Premier League games (this season). So he scored goals. Nico was the same before the injury.
“Now, unfortunately, Nico was out two months. So probably physicality needs a little bit more.”
Romeo Lavia, a midfielder for Chelsea, will be available against Fulham, the Italian manager continued, but he emphasised that the Belgian will be gradually brought back into action to prevent further injury problems.
Lavia recently experienced a setback in his recuperation from a hamstring injury and has only participated in two Premier League games since early December.
“Romeo is back, he’s training with us and he can be available for Sunday. With him we’re going to try the same thing that we are trying with Reece James,” Maresca said.
“I would like to play Reece every three days but we are trying to manage him, to help him.
“Exactly the same thing we are going to try to do with Romeo because he’s for us an important player.”