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Chelsea's manager has suggested that his team is experiencing the " consequences of their recent Club World Cup involvement, with a significant group of squad members missing for the upcoming match against Liverpool.

Current Fitness Situation

Key attacker the young star is out with a persistent muscle injury, joining the roster of lengthy unavailable players that includes Fofana, Delap, Colwill, Andrey Santos, and Adarabioyo. Moreover, Chalobah is suspended following his dismissal in the last loss to Brighton.

"It's reality," the coach stated. "Given that PSG and Chelsea have so many fitness issues, probably it's the result from the Club World Cup. In this situation we have several defenders out, but we're going to try to adapt and discover the right answer."

Report Highlights Workload Concerns

A newly released report from the worldwide football union the organization showed that Chelsea players were given 20 days off after claiming victory in the competition in the summer, while Paris Saint-Germain, the defeated finalists, rested their team members for over three weeks. The report connected this intense workload to the injury challenges faced by both teams.

The Italian manager voiced agreement with the report's conclusions and stressed his confidence in the young talent who will step in. Josh Acheampong is expected to earn his fourth Premier League appearance in the backline.

Belief in Young Players

"This is challenging," he conceded, "but at the same moment we believe in the ones that are here. For sure, when you can change one individual after four or five matches, it's preferable. The more you perform together with teammates, the understanding grows better. Sometimes you don't even need to talk to do something on the pitch – they understand immediately. When you persist to change it's increasingly hard."

"But I truly have faith in the emerging players. Not just the youth that we buy but also the academy graduates from the youth system. We provided opportunities last year to Josh so that demonstrates that I rely on the next generation."

Disciplinary Issues Addressed

Turning to conduct matters, the manager stated he is not concerned by Chelsea's history of red cards. The squad has been shown three red cards in their last three games, featuring João Pedro's dismissal in the Champions League victory over Benfica.

Since his arrival in mid-2024, the club has the worst conduct stats among top-flight clubs, with seven dismissals in seventy-three games – one every 10.4 matches. Additionally, they lead the league for yellow cards under his leadership, with 114 cautions.

"I don't see any discipline issue," he said. "It's necessary to analyse case by case. When it's a red card for malicious intent or for poor behavior, it's distinct compared to the Manchester United red card or the Brighton red card. In those case, it's just a decision that you have to make in an instant, a moment. Should I do a foul or not? It's difficult."