“My father has been a fisherman for 50 years, this is hard. Not being a footballer!” - Maresca hits back at question on Chelsea treatment of Sterling

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has defended his decision to keep Raheem Sterling away from the first team squad. The 30-year-old spent last season on loan with Arsenal, who opted not to tie him down to a permanent deal.

Sterling returned to Stamford Bridge and was heavily linked with an exit from the club over the summer. Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli were among the clubs eager to secure his signature this year.

However, the Englishman wanted to remain in London to stay with his family. Sterling has since been training separately from the Blues' squad, as he is no longer part of Maresca's plans.

Axel Disasi is also in the London giants' "Bomb Squad", and has been kept away from the first team squad as well. The situation has apparently led to an intervention from the Professional Footballers' Association to ensure that the duo have all the opportunities to train at the club.

When drilled on the matter during Friday's press conference, Maresca referenced his father to insist that the situation isn't as dire as it is being made out to be.

“I’ve been in their situation as a player and I know it’s not the best feeling. It’s not just at Chelsea, it’s at any club in the world, I promise you. My father has been a fisherman, working from 2am until 10am. This is hard in life,” said Maresca.

Chelsea next face Manchester United on Saturday, September 20, in the Premier League.

Have Chelsea set their sights on Barcelona's Marc Bernal?

Chelsea have set their sights on Barcelona starlet Marc Bernal, according to Fichajes. The Spanish midfielder is highly regarded in the European circuit and is regarded by many as the rightful heir to Sergio Busquets at Camp Nou.

Bernal suffered an unfortunate ACL injury three games into the 2024/25 season and was sidelined for the rest of the campaign. Now back to full fitness, the 18-year-old made his long-awaited return to action against Valencia last weekend.

While there are concerns about the long-term implications of his injury, the Catalans believe that he can become a vital part of Hansi Flick's plans. Interestingly, his efforts have also caught the Blues' eyes.

The London giants are looking to add a controller to their midfield and believe that Bernal fits the bill. Chelsea are likely to keep watch on the Spaniard for now and could move for him if an opportunity arises.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over seven years at Sportskeeda. He has written nearly 10000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 21 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit