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Enzo Maresca delivers brutal six-word Chelsea put down amid another Ben Chilwell u-turn

Ben Chilwell
-Credit: (Image: Julian Finney)


Ben Chilwell remains a Chelsea player, but in name only really. The left-back was expected to leave the club during the summer transfer window, but could not secure a move away.

Head coach Enzo Maresca did perform something of a u-turn last week when he welcomed the former England international into the fold having been part of the Blues 'bomb squad'.

Chilwell was somewhat surprisingly named in the club's 25-man Premier League squad once it was confirmed after the summer transfer window, but he has not had a look-in in terms of playing time as yet.

Speaking last week, Maresca said: "In the moment we need him, why not? I said already many times and I will say again that, as long as Chilly is with us, he is a Chelsea player. And if we need him, we give him a chance and minutes.

"We all make mistakes. I am here to take decisions. Sometimes they are good decisions and sometimes they are not good."

While Chilwell was named in the Premier League squad, he was not named in Chelsea's UEFA Conference League squad for the upcoming campaign, which starts on Thursday against Gent.

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And Maresca delivered a brutal put down when it came to a question about Chilwell. If he felt he made a mistake last week when making him part of the bomb squad, perhaps Maresca has performed another u-turn.

When asked if he regretted the decision not to include Chilwell in his Conference League squad, the Italian said: "No. I don't think so. No."

Chelsea take on Belgian side Gent in their opening game of the Conference League on Thursday night, with changes expected to be made by Maresca following their 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.