“I feel a shame” – Maresca explains lack of Premier League minutes for £44.5m man | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has revealed he feels “shame” over Joao Felix’s lack of minutes in the Premier League, but has no doubts if he keeps doing well he will get minutes.

Felix arrived at Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in the summer in a deal worth £44.5m having previously had a loan spell at the club during the 2022/2023 campaign.

The Portugal international was one of three high profile attacking signings to arrive in the summer, along with Pedro Neto and Joao Felix.

Maresca on a lack of minutes for Felix

It’s not been an easy start to life at Stamford Bridge for Felix despite scoring on his debut in the 6-2 win away at Wolves.

It’s clear that he’s been signed as a squad player and he’s not featured regularly in the Premier League, in fact he’s played just 117 minutes and has yet to start a game in the competition, but has vowed to fight for a starting place.

Felix has had to make do with the majority of his minutes coming in the cup competitions and put in his best display of the season as he scored twice in last month’s Conference League win against Panathinaikos.

Felix has struggled for minutes in the Premier League this season. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

The Portuguese along with Christopher Nkunku was surprisingly left on the bench as Chelsea chased a winner in Sunday’s game against Manchester United as more questions were raised about his playing time.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s game against Noah, Maresca admitted he felt shame over a lack of minutes for Felix.

“I feel a shame about Joao, but not only about Joao,” he told his pre-match press conference.

“I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League. We need defensive balance. We cannot play with Joao, Cole and Chris. I like to put all of them on the pitch but then you also have to defend.

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“I don’t have any doubts that if Joao keeps doing well, he will get minutes in the Premier League.”

Felix has plenty of talent and ability, andformer Blue Pat Nevin has backed him to be a big success in west London, but in order for that to happen he needs to make the most of every opportunity starting with the game against Noah.