Maresca stands by team selection and fears another Lavia injury lay-off

Enzo Maresca insisted that his key starters cannot play every match as he defended his decision to make seven changes against Qarabag.

The Blues battled to a 2-2 draw in Azerbaijan, but will make the 2,500-mile trip back to London feeling that it was two crucial points dropped in a bid to reach the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

Only Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro retained their starting places from the win against Tottenham, with head coach Maresca explaining that he felt the need to rest everyone else.

“When we make changes it’s because we think that the plan with the players that they start against is the correct one,” he said.

“We started in the right way, we scored the goal and then, again, we conceded two goals.

“The intention tonight was to rest Enzo [Fernandez], to rest Moises [Caicedo], to rest Malo [Gusto], to rest more players.

“Because they are not able to play every three days. They need recovery from last season, the Club World Cup affects a lot. We try to rotate.

“When you win, no-one mentions all that. I know that when we don’t win, everyone is focused on that and now I think it’s important to recover energy for Saturday and go again.”

Romeo Lavia, who came into the starting line-up, was forced off the pitch within five minutes after pulling up with an injury.

He was replaced by Caicedo, and Maresca was unable to clarify how long the midfielder could be sidelined with an apparent thigh injury.

Maresca said : “We feel very ashamed, especially for him, because he’s not able to be fit for a long, long period.

“We will see now as it’s too early to understand what kind of injury. Hopefully it’s not a big injury. I think it’s a quad injury.”

Alejandro Garnacho, one of the three players introduced at half-time, scored the goal that saved Chelsea from an embarrassing defeat.

Maresca said that he was happy to see the Argentine forward take the opportunity that was handed to him.

“Again, when you start the game (with different players), the intention is always because you are sure that the ones that start, they are able to do the right things,” he said.

“But I think Garnacho did well in the second half. We gave him the chance. He’s slowly, slowly improving.”