Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo: Maresca outlines Chelsea midfield selection process for £279m trio | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has explained his selection process behind midfielders Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo.

Maresca has an extensive number of options at his disposal in midfield since joining Chelsea in the summer prior to the 2024/25 season.

Along with Fernandez, Caicedo and Lavia, Chelsea bought Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City, while Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka are also options for the Blues.

However, Chelsea's first-choice midfielders when all fit are Fernandez, Caicedo and Lavia. An extensive amount of quality, and with only usually two spots available, competition is rife and Maresca has a selection headache on his hands.

When Lavia was unfortunately injured last season, Mauricio Pochettino had the easy choice of selecting Fernandez and Caicedo as his starting midfielders. This time around, with all three available, it's not so easy.

Maresca has outlined how he has tried to select the best pairing, highlighting the key for balance and physicality in the middle of the park. Should Fernandez be selected, it means a slight change of role for right-back Malo Gusto.

"First of all, it is a matter of balance," Maresca responded when asked what Lavia and Caicedo bring that Fernandez doesn't. "I think in this moment, Romeo and Moi give us physicality and strength in the middle. This is the reason why we found the option of Malo in the pocket.

Lavia's return from injury has been a welcome sight for the Blues. / IMAGO / Sportsphoto

"Otherwise, if we play with Enzo, it has to be Enzo and one between Moi and Romeo and when Enzo moves, we probably struggle in the middle in terms of physicality."

Previously, Maresca confirmed the trio can all play together, which was seen in the opening game of the season against Manchester City.

"For sure. It can happen, no doubt. I think the first game against City we played with all of them. The main thing is that everything we do is to have defensive balance. Sometimes the decision we take is because we think about defensive and offensive balance."

It's expected Lavia and Caicedo will start against Manchester United, with Fernandez dropping to the bench after starting in the Newcastle United defeat on Wednesday night.