Enzo Maresca must be trolling Chelsea fans with these team decisions | OneFootball

We never thought we’d be losing our minds over a team sheet for a Conference League game, but here we are.

Enzo Maresca has just dropped the team for tonight’s second leg against Legia Warsaw, and it genuinely made us exclaim out loud it is so bizarre. For some reason, the coach has picked about 70% of his strongest team in a game where we are expecting a stroll to victory, sitting on a healthy lead and with a vastly more significant game on the horizon.

Is he trolling us at this point? Honestly, we can’t think of any better explanation for using such a strong team in this context.

It was one thing to use Reece James today – something we begged him not to do. James is only fit to play one game a week, so by playing him today (in a game where we’re leading 3-0 and playing a team with a fraction of our budget) we rule him out of Sunday’s game – against a really tough Fulham team we desperately need to beat to keep our Champions League dream alive.

But it gets even worse – Cole Palmer? Marc Cucurella?? Nicolas Jackson??? What is Maresca smoking? And why is Tyrique George on the bench? We really hopes that’s because he’s going start on Sunday, that would salvage things somewhat.

Maresca’s press conference one to watch

Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca on the touchline at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

For once, we’re not moaning about a lack of academy players in the side (although the obvious replacement for people like Cucurella would be a youth player), it’s the unnecessary use of important players who we want to be fresh for Sunday.

We honestly can’t wait for Enzo Maresca’s post-game press conference. We’re fascinated to see his logic for this selection.