Chelsea boss Maresca vows to ‘protect players’ with rotation

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he will continue to rotate his squad as it tries to compete on four fronts this season.

The Blues visit Wolves in the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday as they look to bounce back from a 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League.

Maresca has capitalized on the depth of its large squad this season, making ten changes in last week’s 5-1 Champions League win over Ajax.

“We have to rotate,” Maresca said on Tuesday. “We have to protect the players because if we play with the same eleven, we will have a hard time during the season.

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“We will probably make some changes against Wolves, I don’t know how many, but we will make changes.

“I don’t know if it will be nine or 10, like it was from Nottingham Forest to Ajax, but we definitely need to make some to rotate and help protect the players.”

Striker Liam Delap, acquired from relegated Ipswich, could return for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in August.

“Liam completed the entire session with us yesterday without any problems and he is available for tomorrow,” Maresca said.

«We have to be careful with Liam and (he is unlikely to play) 90 minutes. He has been out for two months so he has to be gradually brought back to 100 percent.»

Published on October 28, 2025