Chelsea scored seven goals and conceded 13 in the just concluded preseason games, and four of the 13 were against Premier League champions Manchester City. The Man City side that ran the Blues ragged had more than seven first-team starters out.
Maresca's men will now welcome Pep Guardiola's Man City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, August 18, as both sides play their first game of the league season. The Italian manager has experimented with many players and positions, but the Blues have an oversized squad, which creates selection headaches for the manager. Here are who the Pride of London thinks will get the nod on Sunday:
Robert Sanchez (No. 1) Goalkeeper, Spain
Sanchez started all the preseason games for Chelsea, and while his goalkeeping wasn't stellar, Maresca seems to trust his passing, composure, and risk-taking much more than Dorde Petrovic. Filip Jorgensen has joined the squad, but he's not likely to be thrown in without any preseason action. Expect Sanchez to start.
Malo Gusto (No. 27) Right back, France
Gusto, interestingly, played at left back every time he played in preseason, and will only play in his preferred position against Man City because of the hamstring injury club captain Reece James picked up some days ago.
Tosin Adarabioyo (No. 4) Centerback, England
Tosin played some games in preseason and didn't look good, looking horrendous in some games even. However, Axel Disasi is injured, and Tosin has more match sharpness than some other centerbacks, so that puts him ahead of some others in the pecking order for now. It doesn't look good that he was on the pitch when Chelsea conceded four goals against Celtic and Man City.
Benoit Badiashile (No. 5) Centerback, France
Many fans seem to have turned on the former AS Monaco defender, calling for him to be benched, with some even calling for him to be sold. This is strange, considering that he's still the best centerback passer at the club. He wasn't great last season, but no centerback was, because they were exposed the entire 2023/24 season.
Marc Cucurella (No. 3) Left back, Spain
Cucurella played Chelsea's last preseason game but was taken off at halftime. It's clear that Maresca is not interested in vice-captain Ben Chilwell at left back, so that leaves Cucurella as the next in line. Reports also suggest that the manager prefers new signing Renato Veiga to Chilwell.
Enzo Fernandez (No. 8) Central midfielder, Argentina
Fernandez seems to have been selected as third captain after James and Chilwell. This means he'd likely be de-facto captain against Man City as Chilwell is not likely to play. He had good games against Real Madrid and Inter Milan, creating chances and distributing the ball well, but it's his ability to control a game that is in question, and the jury is still out.
Moises Caicedo (No. 25) Central midfielder, Ecuador
Caicedo will start by default, partly because of his price tag, and mostly because he was the better of Chelsea's pivot midfield last season, outperforming Fernandez, especially in tempo control. Caicedo would be key to getting control of the Man City game.
Noni Madueke (No. 11) Right winger, England
Madueke was good in most preseason games, scoring three goals and providing an assist. Many fans may be looking forward to Pedro Neto's debut, but it's not likely to come against Guardiola's men. Neto has not played any preseason game, and his body is probably not ready for the intensity of a Premier League yet.
Cole Palmer (No. 20) Central attacking midfielder, England
Palmer only played 45 minutes in Chelsea's preseason, but he is perhaps the only player who is sure to start against Man City. With 22 goals, 11 assists, 72 chances, and 17 big chances, Palmer was one of the most influential players in the league last season. That performance earned him a new contract, and Blues' fans are hoping he can continue from where he left off.
Raheem Sterling (No. 7) Left winger, England
Sterling was told to "slow down" by Maresca, which may indicate the former Leicester City manager doesn't know where his bread is buttered. Sterling's speed and trickery make him incredibly effective, and after winning three penalties last season, he is best placed to solve certain problems for the Blues should the need arise.
Christopher Nkunku (No. 18) Center forward, France
Nkunku played at center forward several times in preseason, which may suggest that Maresca prefers him there than on the wing or in the hole behind the striker. Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu are fit to play, but preseason indicates that Maresca might prefer others over them. This may also explain why Chelsea seems keen on Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.