Maresca Delivers Brutal Truth About Reece James' Fitness Ahead of Crucial Leeds Clash
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has indicated that Blues skipper Reece James will likely be given a break for Wednesday's clash against Leeds United.
Operating in a central midfield position, James delivered his finest display of the campaign during Chelsea's 1–1 stalemate with Arsenal on Sunday, marking a full year injury-free with an exceptional performance.
Maresca alongside Chelsea's medical team have put tremendous effort into managing James, who has battled persistent fitness issues since the 2021–22 campaign. The 25-year-old has had to accept limited playing time on occasions, with the Blues manager determined not to gamble with James's physical condition.
This careful approach will probably result in James returning to substitute duties on Wednesday as Chelsea gear up for a crucial period featuring matches against Bournemouth and Atalanta.
"No," Maresca responded directly when questioned whether James, who also featured for 82 minutes against Barcelona during the week, could replicate his weekend brilliance versus Leeds. "The truth is no.
"Reece's display has been outstanding, excellent. Now we face a Wednesday fixture. For him, very positive. We must manage his workload, we must monitor him, we need to carefully handle his circumstances."
During his pre-match media briefing, Maresca was questioned specifically about whether James would receive another starting opportunity, possibly in midfield to cover for suspended Moisés Caicedo, and the manager provided a more optimistic response.
"It's challenging," Maresca confessed. "I'd prefer to start him in every match, but we must evaluate."
Maresca: James Has Potential in Both Defence and Midfield
James's recent outstanding display occurred while playing as a central midfielder—a role where Maresca has consistently believed the England international possesses genuine capability.
Nevertheless, his primary position remains at right-back. Although James has been utilized in this role predominantly under Maresca, the impressive quality of his Arsenal performance has raised discussions about whether he should be considered a midfielder moving forward.
"He's capable in both roles," Maresca confirmed. "He's been a full-back throughout his career. He's also featured as a midfielder. He can excel in either position.
"When we select him for midfield, we seek physical presence centrally. It's based on our tactical approach, but he's performing excellently in both roles."
Roméo Lavia and Dário Essugo continue to be unavailable for Chelsea, making Andrey Santos the most obvious option to replace suspended Caicedo.
Notably, Maresca also mentioned 19-year-old Josh Acheampong, developed as a right-back but typically used as a centre-back, as "someone who can perform well" in Caicedo's midfield role.