Enzo Maresca is ready to defy the Club World Cup rulebook by rotating his line-up as he pleases in the United States after Chelsea won their opening group game versus Los Angeles FC.
When Chelsea agreed to partake in this tournament, they signed a Participation Agreement. Among its stipulations was a promise to ‘field their strongest team throughout the competition’.
However, Maresca believes rotation is necessary with the event coming at the end of an elongated season, particularly now that they are expected to play every few days in the challenging humid climate of the United States. It is set to hit as high as 38 degrees in Philadelphia next week.
FIFA insiders admit they are aware they may find it tough to actually challenge a club for not playing their ‘strongest team’, given it is highly subjective and teams such as Chelsea brought their squads to utilise.
We asked, but were not told, how it will be decided whether a club contravenes their rules or what the punishment would be if a charge came.
Chelsea next face Flamengo on Friday in Philadelphia before rounding out the group stage against Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis at the same venue on Tuesday.
Enzo Maresca is ready to risk a FIFA rap by rotating his Chelsea team in the Club World Cup group stage
It is set to hit 38 degrees in Philadelphia next week for Chelsea’s final two group games
A strong Chelsea line-up took on Los Angeles on Monday, but Maresca is set to make changes
CLUBS PUSH BACK ON INTRUSIONS
I reckon we can all agree that Ref Cam has been a success so far at the Club World Cup.
The referee’s perspective for Pedro Neto’s goal versus Los Angeles FC, after a lovely assist from Nicolas Jackson, was something we would all like to see in the Premier League.
We might see it soon enough, too, because I’m told that is one trial being conducted by FIFA which IFAB – the global lawmakers – are monitoring closely. FIFA will send IFAB their findings at the end of the tournament and, right now, I’m hearing the consensus is that it is proving a success.
IFAB will decide whether it is worth opening the experiment up to other competitions – maybe even in England – but they would not give us a timeline when asked for one.
However, some of FIFA’s other ideas have not gone down too well with the 32 teams participating in the Club World Cup.
I’m told FIFA have been privately pushing clubs to allow them to mic up managers and place cameras inside changing rooms for …