Chelsea Players In For A Shock When They Return For Pre-season Training Under Enzo Maresca

Chelsea players are bracing themselves for a significant change in their pre-season routine as new head coach Enzo Maresca, appointed on Monday, brings in fitness coach Marcos Alvarez. Known for his strict dietary regimens, Alvarez’s appointment signals a potential shake-up in the team’s nutritional habits.

Alvarez, who has built a reputation for being a stringent dietician during his stints at Sevilla, Tottenham, Parma, and Leicester City, is expected to introduce a series of dietary restrictions. His previous tenure saw the ban of various food items such as sauce, fruit juice, cake, and even salt and pepper at Tottenham. At Leicester, fried eggs were notably removed from the breakfast menu.

The introduction of such restrictions at Tottenham led to player discontent, with some reportedly sneaking out to get McDonald’s during pre-season and sending then-captain Ledley King to negotiate a relaxation of the rules.

Maresca, having previously experienced Alvarez’s methods as a player at Sevilla, has shown his trust in Alvarez by bringing him onto his coaching staff at Parma and now at Chelsea. Despite the passage of time and Alvarez not having worked with Juande Ramos, his long-term collaborator, for a decade, it is anticipated that Alvarez’s approach will still be rigorous, albeit potentially evolved.

This change comes in contrast to former head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who, while discouraging fatty foods like chips and pizza, did not impose stringent bans on sauce, fruit juice, salt and pepper, or sweet treats.

Chelsea’s players, many of whom are looking forward to working with Maresca, might be in for a surprise when they find some of their favorite menu items missing upon their return. Players not engaged in international duty are scheduled to return to training on July 4.

Alvarez’s meticulous focus on players’ fat ratios and regular weigh-ins, exemplified by making the Tottenham squad shed 100 kilos, suggests that Chelsea’s squad can expect a demanding summer regime. Despite the strict methods, Alvarez has been popular among club staff and praised by players like Paul Robinson and Tom Huddlestone for the benefits they experienced under his guidance.

As Chelsea transitions into this new phase under Maresca and Alvarez, the coming pre-season will test the players’ adaptability to the anticipated dietary and fitness standards set by the new coaching team.