Enzo Maresca explains why £106m Chelsea star has lost his place in the team

Enzo Maresca insists he ‘still trusts’ Chelsea star Enzo Maresca after explaining why he has dropped the Argentina international from his regular Premier League starting XI.

Fernandez began the season as a key player under the new Blues boss, captaining the side as he started six of their opening seven games, missing the 1-0 win over Bournemouth through illness.

The Argentina international, a £106million signing from Benfica, was named among the subs in against Liverpool and Newcastle United however with his only starts in recent weeks coming in the Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup.

With a huge squad to work with, Maresca has regularly changed his entire team for cup and European games having settled on a regular Premier League XI.

Since returning from a hamstring injury, Romeo Lavia has been part of that, partnering Moises Caicedo in midfield.

‘First of all, it’s a matter of balance,’ Enzo told a press conference on Friday, explaining his recent midfield partnership.

‘In this moment, Romeo and Moises give us physicality and strength in the middle. This is the reason why we found the option with Malo [Gusto] in the pocket.’

Maresca insisted he does not regard players as being in his ‘A or B team’ and was adamant Fernandez is a key part of his plans moving forward.

‘I show frustration with Enzo? I show frustration will all of them,’ Maresca said.

‘I don’t only look at Enzo. I still trust Enzo. There is not any reason I can lose confidence in him. The reason he is not playing in the Premier League is because I take another decision but I have 100% confidence in him.

‘I like to say that we don’t have an A team or B team. There are players that are fantastic players, but for me, we don’t have indispensable players. If Cole [Palmer] is not playing, we are playing Joao [Felix] and if Nico [Jackson] isn’t playing, we are playing Christo [Christopher Nkunku].

‘The reason why we change players is because all of them are good. Some of them are better than the rest but it doesn’t mean they are always the ones that are going to play.

‘You are looking for some different reasons for Enzo, but it’s simple: he is not playing at the moment but we have so many games in the future so it does not mean he is not going to play.’