Chelsea boss Maresca happy with win but admits Fernandez is playing catch-up

Enzo Maresca feels his Chelsea broadside are continuing to amended aft registering nan first triumph connected their pre-season circuit of nan United States by beating Club America 3-0.

Maresca has not had nan easiest of starts pinch nan westbound London nine pursuing his move from Leicester City. The title statement caused by midfielder Enzo Fernandez rumbled connected for complete a fortnight earlier yet being resolved while a tie pinch League One broadside Wrexham and a 4-1 hammering by Celtic raised eyebrows.

But past night’s win, which came courtesy of penalties from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke either broadside of a header from young striker Marc Guiu, yet brought immoderate respite.

Maresca said: “I americium very happy. I said nan different time erstwhile we mislaid that nan consequence is ever important because we are Chelsea but nan main attraction for america astatine nan infinitesimal has to beryllium to analyse aliases to judge nan capacity and spot really we person improved.

“From my individual perspective, from Wrexham, to Celtic, to today, we proceed to improve. This is nan astir important thing.

“We struggled against Wrexham for galore reasons, we struggled against Celtic for galore reasons but location were galore important things which we improved [against Celtic]. And today, we continued that line, which is nan astir important thing.

“Since we started, what we do successful training has to hap successful nan game. Against Wrexham, we prepared thing and it happened. Against Celtic, nan aforesaid and again today, nan aforesaid thing.”

So, truthful silky. ✨#BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/fjh5bAU1hZ

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 1, 2024

Fernandez backmost successful nan mix

Fernandez’s return to nan squad connected Monday pursuing an extended summertime break threatened to origin disruption but nan nine opportunity nan matter is closed and team-mate Wesley Fofana – 1 of nan main critics of nan Argentina international’s behaviour successful posting a video connected societal media that questioned nan practice of France’s achromatic and mixed-race players – has accepted his apology.

The erstwhile Benfica midfielder appeared for nan 2nd 45 minutes successful Atlanta and Maresca admitted he is playing catch-up.

He added connected nan club’s charismatic website: “You tin spot that he is simply a spot behind. In position of his beingness conditioning, he was a spot slow. He had 1 aliases 2 sessions pinch america truthful 45 minutes coming was conscionable different chance to springiness him different session.

“These kinds of games, we besides usage them for illustration a training convention and for Enzo, coming was a very bully training session.”