Chelsea
Maresca confirms three injury concerns restricting Chelsea players
Maresca confirms João Pedro, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo are managing injuries. Fitness issues
Enzo Maresca has acknowledged that João Pedro, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo are all carrying injuries that have limited their training time and availability.
“I think João is not training every day because he’s managing a little bit himself from the injury problem,” the Italian boss outlined. “Moi [Caicedo] is exactly the same, Enzo [Fernández] is exactly the same.
“We have four or five players that unfortunately, because of some problems, they cannot work every day and they try to make the effort to play the game.”
Caicedo and Fernández arrived at the Nottingham Forest game as fitness doubts. Fernández did not feature, while Caicedo was only fit enough to come off the bench and, the club report says, helped swing the contest at the City Ground. He was unable to produce the same decisive impact in the subsequent match with Sunderland. Wilson Isidor’s diligent man-marking brief stifled Chelsea’s most important midfielder throughout a frustrating afternoon.
João Pedro has been asked to shoulder a regular starting burden despite his own fitness issues because of limited attacking options. Summer exits for Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, combined with a serious injury to Liam Delap, briefly left Pedro as the only senior centre forward. Marc Guiu was recalled from his loan with Sunderland before the summer window closed, but as the match against his fleeting former employers showed, he remains a raw 19-year-old.
“So João in some games has been better, [against Sunderland] he struggled a little bit,” Maresca conceded. “But I think overall all the players struggled, so it’s not just about João.”
Delap, sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained when sprinting too vigorously in the opening exchanges of an August clash with Fulham, watched the Sunderland game from the stands. Maresca has suggested the 22-year-old could get some minutes in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers, which would help ease Pedro’s workload.
Chelsea then face a London derby away to Tottenham Hotspur, a team noted in the report for a potent set-piece threat and a surprisingly mixed home record this season, with Burnley the only Premier League side to have lost in N17 so far.
Brentford
Thiago and Maresca honoured for November performances
Igor Thiago named November Player of the Month; Enzo Maresca wins Manager award in November. Update.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago has been named the Premier League Player of the Month for November, while Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca took the Manager of the Month prize.
Thiago becomes the fourth different recipient of the Player of the Month award this campaign and the first Brentford player ever to receive the honour. On the recognition he said: “It means so much to me,” Thiago admitted. “I’m really happy to receive this because it means my hard work on the pitch has paid off.
“I’m surprised! But hopefully I can receive more of these this season. I’m so happy and proud of myself.”
The list of winners earlier in the campaign includes Jack Grealish for August (Everton), Erling Haaland for September (Man City) and Bryan Mbeumo for October (Man Utd).
Maresca claimed his second Manager of the Month award after Chelsea collected a league-high 10 points across November. The Blues beat Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley as they began to build momentum, and they salvaged a hard-fought draw with league leaders Arsenal despite playing most of that match with 10 players.
“This kind of thing, it’s because you do the right things,” Maresca reflected. “Performances and results were fantastic.”
The manager award returns to Maresca’s desk for the first time since September 2024. He is the fourth different winner of the Manager of the Month prize this season; previous monthly recipients are Arne Slot (Liverpool) for August, Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) for September and Ruben Amorim (Man Utd) for October.
Both individual awards underline a strong November for the recipients and their clubs. Thiago’s accolade is a first for Brentford at this level, while Maresca’s recognition follows a string of results that produced the highest points total in the division for the month.
Chelsea
BlueCo wins race for Mohamed Zongo, plans Strasbourg pathway
BlueCo has reportedly won the race to sign 16-year-old Mohamed Zongo, who will join Strasbourg 2027.
Chelsea’s ownership group BlueCo has reportedly prevailed in the competition to sign 16-year-old midfielder Mohamed Zongo, beating interest from Manchester City and Manchester United. Sporting Football des Cascades Tenakourou fielded multiple offers for the teenager before the reported decision in favour of BlueCo, with Fabrizio Romano named as confirming the ownership group as the winners.
Zongo is expected to move into the BlueCo project through Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister side in Ligue 1, when he turns 18 in 2027. Strasbourg are also awaiting the arrival of Brazilian right back Angelo Candido, who will join in 2027. Chelsea have other deals lined up for young players, including winger Geovany Quenda, striker Dastan Satpayev, left back Denner Evangelista and central defender Deinner Ordóñez.
Developed at Sporting Football des Cascades Tenakourou and already prominent in Burkina Faso, Zongo earned a call-up to an Under-17 tournament at just 15 years old. Scouts at the Under-17 World Cup noted his mentality and on-the-ball qualities. A tall, left-footed midfielder with experience on the right wing, he offers a blend of physical presence and technical ability. That profile has led to comparisons with senior players, with some likening him to Yaya Touré and others comparing his ability to breeze past defenders to Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé.
Those who have followed his progression stress his maturity on the pitch and capacity to perform above his age group. On the eve of the tournament, former Burkina Faso international Adama Guira told Africafoot, “He is a very valuable player for the team,” and added, “He brings creativity and a good understanding of the game.”
For now, the reported agreement places Zongo on a pathway that could see him develop at Strasbourg before any future transfer to Chelsea is considered.
Chelsea
Why Caicedo Can Line Up for Chelsea in the Champions League Despite a Three-Game Ban
Caicedo can play against Atalanta because his three-game suspension applies only to domestic matches
Chelsea have felt the absence of Moisés Caicedo in recent matches. The 24-year-old received a straight red card against Arsenal and was subsequently handed a three-game suspension. He missed the defeat to Leeds United and the draw with Bournemouth, and the team has not been the same without him.
Despite the timing of that ban, Caicedo will be available for selection against Atalanta in the Champions League in Bergamo on Tuesday evening. The reason is straightforward: the three-game suspension applies only to domestic competitions. The ban is served in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. Chelsea’s midfielder has already been suspended for two domestic matches, which means European fixtures are not included in his punishment.
Domestic bans do not carry over into UEFA competition and European bans do not apply in domestic competitions. That separation of jurisdictions was also the case earlier in the season when João Pedro’s red card against Benfica did not prevent him from playing the following Premier League game against Liverpool.
Caicedo’s availability is a significant boost for Enzo Maresca’s side in a crucial Champions League meeting with resurgent Italians. He will be well-rested for the clash and should help shore things up for the Blues.
Chelsea will, however, lose Caicedo again for the coming weekend. The home game against Everton on Saturday will be the final match of his suspension as the club seeks only a second league victory since the end of the November international break. After that, Caicedo will be eligible to return for the Carabao Cup quarterfinal against League One Cardiff City on Dec. 16, although whether he will be utilised in that match remains to be seen.
