Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has defended his squad rotation approach following criticism from former England striker Wayne Rooney.
Maresca insisted that rotating players is essential to cope with the demands of modern football and to manage a long season effectively.
This season, Chelsea has made 85 changes to their starting line‑ups across all competitions, more than any other Premier League club. Rooney argued that constant changes could disrupt team chemistry and suggested that senior players should challenge this strategy.
Ahead of Chelsea’s home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Maresca said, “Football is a bit different compared to years ago in terms of physicality and intensity. For me personally, it’s impossible to play with the same players for 65 games a season – Champions League, Premier League.”
He added that rotation is part of his long-term strategy, explaining, “Then, when you are in February and March, when it’s the last sprint, you probably have to think in a different way. But at the moment, you have to think like a long race.”
Maresca also defended the young players in his squad, mentioning Andrey Santos, Jorrel Hato, and Estevão, saying, “They are good, talented, young and, for sure, when they are young, you have to give them the chance to make some mistakes to be better.”
He acknowledged the criticism following Chelsea’s 2‑2 draw with Qarabağ FK, where Hato made errors, and stressed that his decisions are based on the demands of modern football and the long season ahead.
