August 30 at 2:30 AM, Chelsea will face Servette in the second leg of the Europa Conference League play-off. Before the match, Chelsea’s manager Maresca attended a press conference where he discussed Sterling and the team’s preparation.
When Maresca was asked about players previously excluded from first-team training, he reiterated his position: “I prefer to be honest with the players; like Sterling, Chilwell, and other players excluded from the first team. If they don’t leave, they won’t get any playing time.”
“If they are still here, I don’t know what will happen after the transfer window closes. I believe those who can get playing time can help us.”
Regarding Sterling, Maresca said: “He is an excellent player, he trains well. Every coach has different ideas; he is the type of winger that I don’t favor. History and statistics speak for Sterling’s ability; he is very clear about what he needs to do.”
When discussing the current state of the team, Maresca emphasized: “I can say we are not a crazy club. Since I joined the club, we have been working towards one direction. The players who have come here are those we wanted to bring in, and the direction of the team is very clear.”