​🎙Enzo Maresca's Full Pre-Benfica Press Conference:

🔹Enzo Maresca on Acheampong: "The clubs that you mentioned (Newcastle/Dortmund), they like Josh but we also like Josh. - My idea with Josh is quite clear. I have said many times that I like Josh. My plan for him is very clear. I want him to stay with us and will be very happy if he stays with us. He’s absolutely part of our project"

🔹Enzo Maresca on Fernandez: "His contribution this season has been top and I'm sure next season will be better."

🔹Enzo Maresca on Andrey Santos: “He’s working well with us, and had a very good season with Strasbourg. I see him more like Enzo Fernandez, as an attacking midfielder not a defensive midfielder. He’s more like Enzo than Moi or Lavia.”

🔹Enzo Maresca on Trevoh Chalobah’s future: “All the players with us, I don’t want to lose them. But when the window is open, anything can happen. He helped us get a top four spot and we are happy with Trev, but anything can happen, for any of the 25 players in our squad.”

🔹Enzo Maresca on Reece, Lavia and Fofana: "Hopefully in the next season, these three players that I just mentioned, they can play more games because Chelsea with Wes, Romeo and Reece is a better team."

🔹Enzo Maresca: “I said many times that I prefer to have the attacking players score 10/12 goals each than just a striker with 40 goals. And Enzo his contribution this season has been top and FOR SURE next season will be even better.”

🔹Enzo Maresca on Benfica: “I’ve watched many of their games, it’s very clear what they want to do on and off the ball, I’ve also watched games with 5 at the back, the most important thing tho is to prepare ourselves”

🔹Enzo Maresca on Andrey Santos: “I think you need time to adapt, the important thing is he’s working well.”

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🚨 Sources close to Josh Acheampong have privately said that suggestions he is frustrated are incorrect! He will only go on loan if he agrees with the club that it is best for his development, but the long-term plan remains for him to thrive at Chelsea.

🔗 Jacob Steinberg - Guardian

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IT'S MATCHDAY! 💙

🆚 Benfica
🏟 Bank of America Stadium
🤝 FIFA Club World Cup/ Round of 16
⌚️ 21:00 UK

R16 in the #FIFACWC. Let's go Chelsea! 👊🔵

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🚨 Chelsea are in talks with Brighton over Joao Pedro, as well as Newcastle. Brighton want around £60m.

🔗 Keith Downie - Sky Sports

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🚨Chelsea and Newcastle both remain involved in João Pedro's race.

🔗 Fabrizio Romano

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🚨❗️Brighton have rejected bids from Newcastle and Chelsea - in excess of £50m for Joao Pedro.

Talks are ongoing....

🔗 Ed Aarons - Guardian

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🚨❗️Chelsea and Newcastle are in competition to sign Brighton's Joao Pedro. Both are in talks.

Brighton have not accepted any bid for the 23-year-old Brazil international, with Chelsea and Newcastle both in talks with the south-coast club over a move.

🔗 Simon Johnson - The Athletic

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🚨Chelsea’s priority in the market is a versatile attacker, a profile which Joao Pedro would fit, as well as a right-footed left winger. Chelsea are in talks with Dortmund over a move for Jamie Gittens.

🔗 Simon Johnson - The Athletic

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🚨 Chelsea signing Joao Pedro would be seen as a replacement for Christopher Nkunku.

🔗 Nizaar Kinsella - BBC Sport

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​📊 Benfica vs Chelsea | Stats

🔹If selected [against Benfica], Enzo Fernandez will start a Chelsea game for the 100th time. It will also be his 50th Blues appearance of the season.

🔹Chelsea have won 10 of our past 12 matches across all competitions. Our defeats in that run came at Newcastle and against Flamengo last Friday when we completed both matches with 10 players. We have kept clean sheets in six of those games.

🔹Tyrique George has had a hand in eight goals in his past 18 appearances in all competitions (three goals, five assists), despite only starting seven games in that time. He has scored in two of his last four substitute appearances.

🔹Liam Delap is the 20th different Chelsea player to score a goal for the club this season, equalling our 2015/16 campaign and one behind our club-record 21 which was set in 2021/22.

🔹 After facing 13 shots on target in our first two games of the tournament (four v LAFC and nine v Flamengo), Chelsea did not face any against ES Tunis, the first time under Enzo Maresca we had not faced a shot on target.

🔹Players who featured for both Chelsea and Benfica: Enzo Fernandez, David Luiz, Nemanja Matic, Ramires, Tiago Mendes, Scott Minto, Joao Felix, Diego Moreira, Eduardo Carvalho, Maniche, Emerson Thome

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🚨 The fee would likely be above £50m for Joao Pedro, and Chelsea are keen on a versatile attacker to provide variety and depth.

🔗 Jacob Steinberg - Guardian

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🚨Liam Delap, Pedro Neto, Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Tosin & Reece James are all 1 yellow card away from missing a potential quarter-final if Chelsea were to win today.

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