Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has made a bold statement after his first team suffered an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to the club’s U21 side in a behind-closed-doors training match, as reported by The Athletic.

The U21s, featuring several promising young talents, dominated the game, with 19-year-old Donnell McNeilly stealing the spotlight by scoring twice. The result was a wake-up call for the senior squad, who were expected to assert their authority against the academy prospects.

Originally, Maresca had planned to reward his players with a day off, given that Chelsea’s next official match isn’t until next Thursday. However, the Italian was left unimpressed by what he saw and swiftly cancelled the scheduled break. Instead, the squad was called in for extra training as Maresca looks to raise standards and ensure his team does not fall short again.

This isn’t the first time Maresca has taken a firm stance when expectations aren’t met. Winger Noni Madueke has already felt the manager’s tough approach, having been left out of matchday squads more than once due to underwhelming performances in training.

With Chelsea’s first team struggling for consistency this season, Maresca’s response signals his determination to instill discipline and accountability within the squad. The defeat to the U21s might just serve as the wake-up call the Blues need ahead of their upcoming fixtures.