Maresca concerned about pitch ahead of Chelsea’s semi-fnal clash

Enzo Maresca has admitted concern over Djurgarden’s pitch ahead of Chelsea’s Conference League semi-final.

The Blues will play the first leg of the tie at the 3Arena in Stockholm, which has an artificial surface rather than grass.

Ahead of the game, a number of Djurgarden players have voiced their frustration with the pitch, suggesting it affects even the simplest of passes.

“The pitch here is a bit different to the one we are used to,” said the Chelsea head coach.

“I know that in the last weeks, even some of their players were complaining, so imagine for us. They play on it every week.

“But we don’t have an excuse, or a reason not to compete, and we have the second game at home.”

Maresca added he is “worried” about his players potentially picking up injuries ahead of an important Premier League match against Liverpool this weekend, but inisted he will not rest players.

He said: “For sure (injuries) can be a concern. I am a little bit worried about that.

“But we are not in a moment to save players. This is a semi-final, it’s a European competition and we want to be in the final.

“For me, the most important thing is how we adapt to the environment and the pitch. After tomorrow, we can focus on Sunday’s game.”

Before travelling to Sweden, Chelsea confirmed that goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and forward Christopher Nkunku will be unavailable after picking up knocks.