Enzo Maresca has told his Chelsea players they must attend home games even if they have not been selected in the matchday squad.
Maresca has put the rule in place since taking over this summer and several first team players, including Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho and Marc Cucurella, attended the club’s 5-0 win over Barrow in the midweek Carabao Cup third-round tie, rather than being given the day off.
Chelsea players have attended games they were not picked for before, but Maresca has made it an official guideline to encourage unity.
The Chelsea head coach explained: “I don’t know whether we say it is a rule but when there is a game the players have to be there. In a normal team you have to behave like a team.
“For sure it will happen tomorrow (against Brighton and Hove Albion). If there is a problem and some of them cannot come then that is not a problem.
“In terms of culture I think it is quite normal that if my team-mate is playing a game, I am there before the game to support him and I am there after the game to support him in case he wins, loses, does well or does badly.
“I think it is normal for them to be there whether it is Premier League or Carabao Cup, whatever competition. If we want to create something then these small things they are very important.”
(Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
