Chelsea Midfielder Injured Early in Champions League Match

Baku, Azerbaijan – Chelsea midfielder Enzo Maresca suffered a fresh injury just minutes into their Champions League match against Qarabag on Wednesday.

Maresca, who started the match in Baku, was forced off the field within the first five minutes after pulling up during a defensive duel with Leandro Andrade. Though he managed to make a clearance, he limped away before collapsing to receive treatment.

Head coach Enzo Maresca quickly decided to substitute the 21-year-old to avoid further complications. The team plans to provide an update on his condition in an upcoming press conference.

Despite the setback, Chelsea traveled to Azerbaijan without several first-team players, including Cole Palmer and Benoit Badiashile. The team remains optimistic that Maresca’s injury is not serious. “It’s not a problem, just a small issue,” coach Maresca told reporters. “We will try to protect him. He is not involved in tomorrow’s game.”

Later this week, Chelsea will return to Premier League action against Wolverhampton, who currently play without a manager. The Blues aim to finish the week positively after having recently won against Wolves and Tottenham, putting them seventh in the league.

In related news, winger Pedro Neto also missed training leading up to the match in Azerbaijan due to injury. His absence adds to the injury woes facing Chelsea, which already includes key players such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and others nursing minor injuries.

Neto was substituted late in the game against Tottenham due to injury and is questionable for the Qarabag match. Despite these injuries, Chelsea has managed to keep up their performance level, and Maresca’s strategic rotations are credited for maintaining the team’s competitive edge.

With injuries persisting, the Champions League points race will pose additional challenges for Chelsea, who are coping with missing important squad members on the pitch.