Maresca admits 'mistake' with Chelsea outcast

Cameron Smith

• 27 Sept 2024 14:30 BST
• 5 min read

Enzo Maresca has admitted that Ben Chilwell is back in the Chelsea first-team fold after spending the entire summer with the club’s ‘Bomb Squad.’

The England defender was Chelsea’s vice-captain under Mauricio Pochettino last season, but he was cast aside upon Maresca’s arrival and was essentially told to find a new club.

However, no suitors emerged and despite being omitted from Chelsea’s matchday squad for each of their first seven matches of the new campaign, Chilwell was still a Blues player when the summer window slammed shut.

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He marked his return with a substitute appearance against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in midweek, with the former Leicester City star given the armband to mark the occasion.

Maresca has now revealed that he made a “mistake” by banishing Chilwell from the first-team set-up at Chelsea.

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What has Enzo Maresca said?

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, Maresca admitted: “In the moment we need him [Chilwell], for sure, why not?

“I will say again, at the moment he is with us, he is one of the Chelsea players and one of our players. If we need to, we will give him chances and minutes.

“We all make mistakes. I had to make a decision; sometimes they are good and sometimes not. There is not any bad intention from me. It was just to try and think of the best thing for the club.”

Although Chilwell made his first appearance of the campaign versus Barrow, he remains Chelsea’s third-choice left-back as things stand.

Marc Cucurella is currently Maresca’s favoured option, while summer signing Renato Veiga is the Spaniard’s back-up.

Chilwell is yet to feature in a Premier League matchday squad so far this season, although he could be selected against Brighton this weekend following his return in midweek.