Insider: Maresca made major training decision this week which will be very popular with players | OneFootball

After a win last night against Southampton, Chelsea have no match this weekend, more than a week until their next game (against Copenhagen in the Conference League) and 11 days until their next Premier League game.

According to Kieran Gill in his Chelsea Confidential column this week, this long break could have been enough for a “warm weather training camp” of the sort Arsenal had this time last week, but Enzo Maresca has decided to keep things local at Cobham as he looks to try and build on a positive result, with 3 very winnable games in a row on the horizon.

“Maresca had the power to push for a trip away to somewhere sunnier, but the 45-year-old Italian decided against telling his players to pack their bags, as they will spend time at home with their families and continue to work at Cobham instead,” Gill reports in his insider piece.

Fofana to continue buildup to fitness

Wesley Fofana speaks to Chelsea TV after a win at his old club.

There was major excitement yesterday as injured defender Wesley Fofana returned to the matchday squad for the first time in 2025. This long break will be based around getting him up to speed as quickly as possible, with Gill claiming the France international is targeting a potential return against his former club in our next league game:

“Wesley Fofana will use the time to build up his fitness with a view to facing his former club Leicester, who sold him to Chelsea for £73million in 2022. That would be his first appearance since December 1 after a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old Frenchman will not travel to Copenhagen after being left out of their Conference League squad.”

For once, it’s a shame to not have a senior player in the Conference League squad, as it removes a chance to give him some easy warmup minutes.