Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca has offered a participant who has “utterly remodeled” since leaving Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea face Sunderland after defeating Ajax
Regardless of being with out many key gamers, the Blues have returned to wonderful type with 4 consecutive wins in all competitions, and can face tomorrow’s match in opposition to Sunderland with new confidence.
Maresca’s facet got a impolite wake-up name this time final month after they misplaced 3-1 at dwelling to Brighton, however the distress at Stamford Bridge seems to have lit a hearth below Chelsea’s gamers.
Regardless of lacking summer time signing Liam Delap and star ahead Cole Palmer by way of damage, Chelsea have coped properly with out them, scoring 10 targets of their final three video games.
Within the final Champions League, they achieved a powerful victory over Ajax with targets from Marc Giu, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandes, Estebao and Tyrik George. Maresca’s facet have additionally executed a stable job defensively, contemplating the absence of Benoît Badiashile and Levi Colwill.
Newly promoted Sunderland have began the season properly and can face one other robust take a look at this weekend with a visit to London, however given Chelsea’s current outcomes, the Black Cats could possibly be in for a tricky afternoon.
That stated, Maresca is on no account underestimating them.
“I spent one season within the Championship with Leicester and I like the Championship, so even when I play within the Premier League or the Champions League, I at all times watch the Championship. So I have been watching Sunderland since final season after they had a brand new supervisor,” Maresca instructed reporters at a pre-match press convention.
“They’ve executed very properly not solely this season but additionally from final season. They play good soccer, they’re very robust and bodily, so I actually like the best way they’re doing it.”
Chelsea’s squad, which gained each the Convention League and the Membership World Cup earlier this yr, is coming collectively and a extra full squad may make the West Londoners agency favorites for not less than a top-four end.
Marc Cucurella has at all times been a key cog within the group’s system at left-back, leaving little room for ex-Chelsea left-back Diego Moreira to hitch Strasbourg completely in 2024.
Diego Moreira ‘remodeled’ after leaving Chelsea
In fact, given Chelsea’s hyperlinks with our sister membership, there may be at all times an opportunity that Bruko may re-sign the Belgian.
Nonetheless, Liam Roseniol seems to have executed an important job with Moreira since leaving Chelsea, and the tactician will likely be reluctant to lose the versatile defender who’s now one of many ‘greatest’ full-backs in Ligue 1.
“He is a unprecedented coach and participant developer, and also you noticed that in former Chelsea participant Diego Moreira, who actually remodeled below Rosenior,” broadcaster Andy Brassell instructed TalkSPORT.
“He was a participant who got here to Lyon on mortgage from Chelsea and was utterly unprepared for top-level soccer.
“Then a yr later he goes to Strasbourg and instantly, by altering positions, he is without doubt one of the greatest wing-backs within the league. He’s not solely superb with the ball, but additionally superb with out the ball. His defensive consciousness now could be wonderful.”
“When it comes to scoring and creating, his runs, his consciousness when Strasbourg would not have the ball, all these elements of his recreation, Rosenior has utterly modified him. It is wonderful.”
Strasbourg have made a wonderful begin to 2025/2026 and have turn out to be shock contenders for the French title, coming near defeating European champions PSG in a powerful 3-3 draw on the Parc des Princes final week.
At one level they had been main by two factors, and Moreira was on the heart of all of it, scoring and aiding the capital.
His performances have been distinctive and judging by his personal admissions final yr, Moreira might not wish to return to Chelsea anytime quickly.
“I feel I am right here to remain. Since I have been right here, I am relieved. I’ve rediscovered the enjoyment of enjoying soccer, of getting enjoyable. All the pieces is nice: the coach, the membership, the infrastructure, the standard of life, the town,” the South American instructed La Dernière Heure.
“Definitely the extent of academy soccer will not be corresponding to skilled soccer. There’s a feeling that it’s stagnant, that you’re not studying something. Sure, we’re nonetheless studying one thing daily, however again then you definately wanted to realize expertise. That’s not what I used to be on the lookout for.”
