Chelsea
Maresca praises Liverpool’s response to Jota tragedy ahead of Stamford Bridge meeting
Maresca lauds Liverpool’s resilience after Diogo Jota’s death and explains Chelsea’s defensive choice.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca paid tribute to Liverpool’s reaction to the death of Diogo Jota and defended the reigning champions’ start to the campaign ahead of Saturday evening’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca, who was a teammate of Antonio Puerta at Sevilla, drew on that experience when discussing the challenges Liverpool have faced since Jota’s death in July. Puerta suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch in a game against Getafe in August 2007 and passed away in hospital three days later aged just 22.
Asked about vulnerabilities Liverpool have shown on the pitch in recent weeks, including defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, Maresca instead highlighted the way the club and players have coped off the field. He said: “I don’t think that now it’s better to play Liverpool just because they drop points in the last two games. It’s always a tough game. Always a big team.”
He added: “For me personally, the way they are doing this season, in any case, is fantastic. Especially after [Diogo] Jota’s tragedy. I live exactly the same when I was a player 20 years ago. It’s not easy for the players, it’s not easy for the club, it’s not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training ground and you see every day that place empty. So you have to be very strong.
“And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, even better than good, even more. Because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy.”
Chelsea enter the match with an extensive injury and suspension list that has particularly affected the defence. Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo are all injured, while Trevoh Chalobah is suspended after he was sent off in last weekend’s 3–1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. That situation opens the door for Josh Acheampong to start in central defence, a role Maresca has previously handed him.
On his selection approach, Maresca said: “I think it’s a fact that I really trust the young players. Not just the young players that we buy, but also the young players from the academy,” and: “Again, we gave games last year to Josh Acheampong, having players on the bench, senior players. So that shows that I trust young players. The same thing happened with Ty [George]. So I really trust all the players we have. As you said, in this moment we have four or five defenders out. But we’re going to try to adapt and find the right solution for tomorrow.”
Bournemouth
Early returns: Premier League summer signings that have struggled so far
Early evidence suggests several costly summer signings have struggled to justify their transfer fees
More than £3 billion ($4 billion) and 155 incoming transfers set high expectations across the Premier League this summer. Several recruits have settled quickly, but others have produced worrying initial returns that have left managers and supporters asking questions.
Everton’s Thierno Barry arrived from Villarreal after a season that yielded 11 goals and four assists. The 22-year-old joined for £27 million ($36 million) with time to adapt, but he remains behind Beto, has made two Premier League starts, nine appearances in total and is still searching for his first goal or assist for the club. On two occasions he was substituted early: at half time at Anfield and after about an hour at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
West Ham’s £20 million ($26.7 million) signing Mads Hermansen began the campaign as Graham Potter’s first-choice goalkeeper but has endured a difficult start. The 25-year-old conceded 11 times in four appearances, sustained several high-profile errors and has dropped behind Alphonse Areola with Nuno Espírito Santo opting against an early recall.
Anthony Elanga moved to Newcastle for £55 million ($73.4 million) after scoring 18 goals for Nottingham Forest in 2024–25. The 23-year-old has made 10 appearances for the Magpies without a goal or assist and has oscillated between starting and the bench while competing with Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy.
Jean-Clair Todibo’s permanent move to West Ham cost £32.8 million ($43.8 million) after an obligation to buy. He has fallen out of favour following disciplinary issues under Potter and is unlikely to figure under Espírito Santo.
James Trafford returned to Manchester City for £31 million ($41.3 million) but is now behind Gianluigi Donnarumma and has been restricted to the bench following a difficult display against Tottenham Hotspur.
Alexander Isak joined Liverpool for a Premier League record £125 million ($166.9 million) but missed pre-season after a strike. Arne Slot has eased him in, using him alongside Hugo Ekitiké, with the record signing yet to reach expected levels.
Newcastle paid £55 million ($73.4 million) for Yoane Wissa from Brentford, but a knee injury means he is yet to play for his new club and has only two competitive appearances since the end of last season.
Chelsea’s £51.5 million ($68.7 million) addition Jamie Gittens has made seven appearances and three starts without making a major impact. At Liverpool, Milos Kerkez arrived for £40 million ($53.4 million) to succeed Andy Robertson but has made a sluggish start, was bullied on his debut by Antoine Semenyo and was hooked in the first half against Burnley as he edged toward a red card.
It remains early and circumstances differ across clubs, but the opening weeks have provided enough evidence to raise concerns about several high-cost recruits.
Chelsea
Diego Costa shown yellow after heated return in Chelsea legends charity match
Diego Costa returned to Chelsea in a charity friendly, booked after clashes with Martin Škrtel. Sat.
Diego Costa returned to Chelsea on Saturday and did so in familiar fashion, picking up a yellow card after squaring up to Martin Škrtel during a charity friendly. The match ended with Liverpool claiming victory through a late Ryan Babel goal, but Costa’s presence dominated the conversation.
Several confrontations with Škrtel followed a physical challenge from Costa, with the clash culminating in a booking for a reaction that briefly overshadowed the charity context. The pair have a well-documented Premier League history: Costa received a three-match ban after being found guilty of stamping on Škrtel in 2015, and months later avoided punishment for what appeared to be a kick in Škrtel’s direction.
Their latest incident did not carry the same fallout. The two appeared to make up after the final whistle, an outcome Costa underlined with an Instagram post following the game.
Those familiar with Costa’s Chelsea career between 2014 and 2018 will recognise the temperament on display. The striker scored 59 goals in 120 appearances for the club, won two Premier League titles, and collected 32 yellow cards at Stamford Bridge without receiving a straight red.
“Of course, this guy [Costa] is still the same, we saw it!” former teammate Eden Hazard, who also featured in the game, reflected.
Costa has not played competitively since being released by Grêmio in January this year. His time at the Brazilian club included a notable sending off during a fitness-building Under-20 friendly for an on-field fight in September 2024. He finished his spell at Grêmio with eight goals in 26 games.
He has not formally retired, and whether he is actively seeking a new club remains unclear.
Chelsea
Chelsea face fresh fitness worry after Enzo Fernández pulled from Argentina squad
Enzo Fernández withdrew from Argentina with knee inflammation and will return to west London early.
Chelsea have received a further fitness setback after Enzo Fernández withdrew from the Argentina squad with a knee problem.
Fernández played 78 minutes in Argentina’s victory over Venezuela, a game in which he recorded more touches and passes than any other player on the pitch. Argentina’s official X account announced on Saturday that he had been withdrawn from the squad because of an inflammation of the knee, adding his name to Chelsea’s growing list of absentees.
The midfielder was already expected to miss Argentina’s second friendly with Puerto Rico, with BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella reporting that he would not play in that match. Given that information, an early return to west London for further assessment and treatment makes practical sense.
Chelsea had entered the international break dealing with multiple fitness concerns. The squad for the club’s last-gasp win over Liverpool had been weakened by absences that included Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap. In the same victory, Josh Acheampong and Benoît Badiashile also suffered fitness problems.
Head coach Enzo Maresca will now be monitoring Fernández’s situation closely ahead of the club’s return to Premier League action. Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest next in the league, and the manager will be hoping that the knee inflammation is not a significant issue after what has already been a week of unwelcome injury news.
For now the club must wait for assessments following Fernández’s return, with the immediate priority likely to be reducing inflammation and evaluating how soon the midfielder can rejoin team training without risk of further setback.
