Enzo Maresca has dismissed Gary Neville’s claim that Pep Guardiola was playing Cole Palmer when he had a long, public conversation with the midfielder after Chelsea’s defeat at Manchester City.
Neville, speaking on his podcast after commentating on the game, suggested that Guardiola had seized an opportunity to distract his former player as part of a power move.
“I want to say something about Cole Palmer,” the former Manchester United right-back said. “He was talking to Pep Guardiola on the pitch right at the end of the game. And he was smiling with him. Pep Guardiola does that. Cole, you’re being played.”
However Maresca saw nothing inappropriate about Palmer’s behaviour. “I don’t think Pep is playing a game, especially after the game is finished,” Chelsea’s head coach said. “I don’t know what kind of game you are playing when the game is finished.
“But you probably have to ask him the reason why he [Neville] said that. Sometimes we finish the game and I go on the pitch and find an opposition player I know. I have a chat with him. If we say something we laugh.
“Even the Fulham game we lost, I had [Timothy] Castagne at Leicester, I had a chat with him on the pitch, we were saying something and I was laughing. But it was not because I was happy to lose the game. It was just a moment.”
There was amusement at the idea that Guardiola was getting in Palmer’s head. “OK!” Maresca said. “If you ask Cole if you remember what he said, I don’t think so.”
Maresca, who said it is not ideal that his side host West Ham on deadline day, addressed the uncertainty around one of his top earners, Ben Chilwell. The left-back has interest from Crystal Palace before the window shuts on Monday night and is unlikely to feature for Chelsea if he does not leave. Maresca was dismissive when asked if Chilwell, who has not played in the Premier League this season, has shown signs of adapting to his tactical approach in trainings
“One thing I can say about ‘Chilly’ is he has been a top professional, working every day,” he said. “But because of the situation and because of my choice he has struggled to get minutes. The decision is he can leave. If he is here on Tuesday we will see.
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It was pointed out that Chilwell could cover for Marc Cucurella given that Renato Veiga, who can function at left-back, has joined Juventus on loan.
“I don’t think Renato played many games with us at full-back,” Maresca replied. “We didn’t consider Renato a full-back. With us he was playing midfielder, attacking midfielder, full-back in some moments, a central defender in some games. It is not because Veiga left that we consider Chilly back.”
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