Maresca Blames Fixture Pileup for Palmer's Omission

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca blames the team's congested fixture schedule for dropping Cole Palmer, while Brentford boss Thomas Frank slams the Club World Cup as 'ridiculous'.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca attributed Cole Palmer's omission from the starting lineup against Brentford to the team's “unfair” schedule. With only a day to prepare for the match, following their 1-0 win over Tottenham on Thursday, Maresca felt compelled to make changes. 

Palmer, who has struggled to find form in his second season with Chelsea, was eventually substituted into the game but failed to make an impact, lifting his best chance over the crossbar in stoppage time.

Maresca insisted that the fixture list, rather than Palmer's recent performances, was the reason for his initial exclusion. 

Palmer has gone 12 games without scoring in all competitions, but Maresca emphasized that the tight turnaround between matches left him with little choice but to make changes. Despite Palmer's struggles, Maresca seemed to suggest that the schedule, rather than the player's form, was the primary factor in his decision-making.

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“We prepared the game in the way it was. We played a demanding game Thursday night,” the Italian said.

“A tricky game, a sunny day, the pitch was dry, they tried to kill the tempo, but we did more than enough to win the game. The only thing we missed was the goal.

“We played Thursday night so not all of them were 100%. The idea was to start in one way and finish in another. The plan nearly worked. Overall the change between the first and second half was not enough to win the game.

“Was the scheduling unfair? I think so, at this stage of the season. We tried to adapt. Thursday night was a demanding game.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank concurred with Enzo Maresca's assessment, stating that the extra day of preparation made a significant difference. “We said many times when this is a transition game, it was demanding, compared to today,” Frank noted, highlighting the challenges of adapting to a tight schedule. “Yes, 24 hours makes a difference,” he emphasized, acknowledging that his own team had also been impacted by the congested fixture list this season. Frank's comments underscored the difficulties faced by both teams in managing their schedules and player workloads.

Thomas Frank further expressed his thoughts on the congested football schedule, specifically criticizing the Club World Cup, which Chelsea is participating in during June and July. “It's just another tournament,” Frank stated bluntly. “Will I watch it? No chance!” he added, emphasizing his lack of interest in the competition.

Looking ahead, Chelsea's next challenge is a UEFA Conference League quarter-final trip to Legia Warsaw on Thursday. However, Enzo Maresca's primary focus remains on securing a Champions League spot. “For sure, that's very important,” Maresca said. “Our target is to bring this club to where it needs to be, in the Champions League. Since day one, we are up there, hopefully we can finish there," he added, highlighting the team's ambition to finish in the top positions and secure a Champions League spot for the next season. Currently, Chelsea sits in fourth place in the Premier League, with a top-five finish likely to be enough to achieve their goal.

Strong hand. 🖐️ #CFC | #BRECHE pic.twitter.com/9vvezrLDnU

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 6, 2025