Chelsea’s first crew suffered an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to a mixed U16/U21 facet in a midweek coaching match at Cobham, resulting in a livid response from supervisor Enzo Maresca.
Kids Donell McNeilly and Chizzy Ezenwata had been the celebrities of the present, with McNeilly scoring twice and Ezenwata including one other. The senior crew, made up of gamers not referred to as up for worldwide responsibility, struggled to match the power and sharpness of the academy facet.
Whereas the precise lineup of the primary crew is unknown, gamers like Malo Gusto, Benoît Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Romeo Lavia, Jadon Sancho, and Christopher Nkunku had been possible concerned. The match could have additionally featured Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, who’re coming back from damage.
Maresca was left livid by the outcome and reacted by cancelling a deliberate day without work for the senior squad. The humiliating defeat raises questions in regards to the readiness and mentality of the first-team gamers forward of their return to aggressive motion.
For McNeilly, this efficiency provides to his rising fame as a prolific objective scorer at youth stage. His brace in opposition to senior professionals may push him nearer to a first-team alternative, particularly with Chelsea’s ongoing struggles in entrance of objective.
