In their return to Conference League action against Panathinaikos yesterday night, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made eleven changes to his team.
Once more, the Blues had no problems as they won 4-1 away from home to take the lead in the competition.
Joao Felix’s two goals served as a clear reminder of his talent, and Chelsea supporters were thrilled with Mykhailo Mudryk’s performance.
The Ukraine international has been putting in a lot of effort under the new manager to try and showcase his talent, and after scoring his first goal of the season, Mudryk immediately travelled to Maresca to celebrate.
Enzo Fernandez made his competition debut after starting on the bench against Liverpool the previous weekend.
Enzo Fernandez appears to believe that Enzo Maresca has now discovered his ideal role at Chelsea.
Romeo Lavia was under a lot of pressure to remind everyone why he had started every Premier League game he had been healthy for thus far after impressing commentators with his performance against the Reds.
Fernandez’s place on the pitch under Maresca has been the subject of much discussion. He typically plays a left-handed role that does not necessarily engage him to a great extent.
But he worked much in a centre position yesterday night, which seemed to bring out the best in him once more.
Fernandez himself appears to agree with this as well. On his own Instagram, he liked a comment from a supporter that confirmed his assertion.
Is it better for Chelsea without Fernandez?
When the midfielder is playing at his best, his quality is undeniable. In the past, Andy Townsend has called Fernandez “gifted.”
Although these statistics date back to a season in which the Blues placed 12th in the league, Chelsea’s victory rate is noticeably higher when Fernandez is not playing.
The magnificent Lavia has undoubtedly made it more difficult for Moises Caicedo, who has made himself a lock in the centre of the park.
Whether Fernandez has persuaded Maresca to reinstate him in the starting lineup for Sunday’s match against Newcastle is still up in the air.