Maresca has had the luxury of a run of fixtures against limited opposition in Europe, during which he has given significant game time to players who have struggled to get into his Premier League line-ups. They finished top of the Conference League table, ensuring direct passage to the last 16, meaning a hiatus from European duty until March.
A number of senior internationals have relied on those games for minutes, most notably Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix, though teenage striker Marc Guiu, who is top scorer in the Conference League, have also earned valuable experience in the competition.
“I’m not worried about the next three months, if the players are happy or not,” said Maresca. “We have many games, if they do the right things, if they work properly for sure they all are going to have a chance to play.
Chelsea, second in the Premier League, would leapfrog leaders Liverpool, at least briefly, if they beat Everton on Sunday, with Arne Slot’s men kicking off later.
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