Maresca, however, added that he expected Adarabioyo to understand the situation, saying he can’t play every Chelsea game.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, has explained why Tosin Adarabioyo isn’t getting enough game time despite being the oldest member of his squad, admitting that the defender is unhappy with the situation.
He made this known ahead of the Blues’ Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday.
Adarabioyo, 28, is the oldest outfield player at Stamford Bridge at the moment. Despite his experience, he is not a guaranteed starter.
In his first season at the club, the central defender started fifteen of the 38 Premier League games Chelsea contested.
This season, however, he has only featured in three of the 13 games Maresca’s men have played.
He might be called upon to fill the gap when Chelsea play Sunderland, with Levi Colwill and Benoît Badiashile unavailable for selection due to injuries.
Speaking before the match, Maresca used both Adarabioyo and Estêvão Willian’s lack of playing time to explain how competitive the squad is becoming at the club.
He, however, added that he expected them to understand the situation, saying they “can’t play all the time.”
While addressing journalists during his press briefing, the Italian gaffer said: “It’s with Estêvão but it’s almost with all of them. It doesn’t matter the age because if you say to Tosin, who’s the oldest one, that he’s not going to play, he’s not happy.
“So, it’s not about the age; it’s about the fact that when they don’t play, they are not happy. But again, they have to understand that they cannot play every game.”
