Why Enzo Maresca Subbed Enzo Fernandez at Half-Time During Chelsea’s Big 8-0 Win Over FC Noah

Chelsea defeated FC Noah 8-0 in their Europa Conference League encounter, with Enzo Fernandez playing an important part in the first half. The Argentine midfielder assisted three of the team’s goals, helping Chelsea to dominate the game early on. Despite Fernandez’s great performance, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca chose to take him off at halftime, disappointing fans. Here’s a closer look at why Maresca made this decision and how Chelsea’s young players also stepped up in the match.

Enzo Fernandez was one of the key players for Chelsea in the opening half. His passes set up multiple goals, and he showed why Chelsea paid a huge fee of £106.8 million to sign him from Benfica in early 2023. Since joining, Fernandez has had ups and downs and hasn’t always met the high expectations that came with his price tag. Recently, he’s even been left out of Chelsea’s starting lineup in the Premier League.

After the match, Maresca explained that taking Fernandez off at half-time was purely a “technical decision” and not because of any injury. He mentioned, “He is okay. It was just a technical decision.” Maresca likely wanted to rest Fernandez, especially with Chelsea already leading 6-0 by halftime, and allow other players to get some time on the field.

This decision shows that Maresca is managing his team carefully, saving his main players for tougher matches while giving younger players a chance to prove themselves in games where Chelsea already has a strong lead.

One of the joys of this game was watching young guys like Tyrique George make an impact. Maresca gave the 18-year-old academy talent his Chelsea debut, and George did not disappoint. Maresca claimed that he promised George he would only start two hours before the match to avoid making him nervous and George handled the pressure perfectly.

Other young players, such as Sam Rak-Sakyi, also played well when they came on, and Marc Guiu managed to score, which was a proud moment for the young forward who hasn’t had much playing time this season.

Even though Chelsea’s lead seemed secure early on, Maresca was impressed with how his team stayed focused and kept working hard until the end. “The players once again showed how professional and serious they are. It is very easy to slip in these sorts of games. Football is full of surprises,” he said. This shows that Maresca values a strong, disciplined performance, no matter who the opponent is.

Fernandez being taken off early doesn’t signal any major issues; it was simply a move by Maresca to give other players time on the pitch. But his recent absence from Chelsea’s Premier League lineup could mean Maresca is still figuring out how best to use him in the team. With more competition in midfield, Fernandez may need to adapt to a slightly different role in the squad.