Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has sold a player who has been “absolutely transformed” since leaving Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea face Sunderland after Ajax demolition
The Blues are back in fantastic form with four straight wins in all competitions, despite missing many key players, and they will head into tomorrow’s clash against Sunderland with renewed confidence.
Maresca’s side received a rude awakening when they lost 3-1 to Brighton at home this time last month, but that terrible performance at Stamford Bridge appears to have lit a fire under Chelsea’s players.
Despite the absence of summer signing Liam Delap and star striker Cole Palmer, who remain sidelined through injury, Chelsea have managed to cope very well without both – scoring 10 in their last three matches.
Goals from Marc Guiu, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Estevao and Tyrique George sealed an impressive victory over Ajax in the Champions League last time out, with Maresca’s men also doing a solid job defensively given they are without Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill.
Newly promoted Sunderland, who have started the campaign very well, will travel to London and present another tough test this weekend, but based on Chelsea’s recent run, the Black Cats could face a tough afternoon.
That being said, Maresca certainly doesn’t underestimate them.
“I spent a season with Leicester in the Championship and I love the Championship, so even if we play the Premier League or the Champions League, I always watch the Championship, so I’ve been watching Sunderland since last season when the new manager came in,” Maresca told reporters in his pre-match press conference.
“They are doing very well not only this season but also last season. They play good football, they are quite strong, physically strong, so I really like the way they do things.”
The Chelsea side, who won both the Conference League and Club World Cup earlier this year, are coming together, and once they have a fuller roster the west Londoners will be strong favorites for at least a top four finish.
Marc Cucurella has been an ever-present left-back and a key cog in their system, leaving little room for former Chelsea left-back Diego Moreira, sold permanently to Strasbourg in 2024, to force his way into the team.
Diego Moreira ‘transformed’ after leaving Chelsea
Of course, given Chelsea’s links with its sister club, there is always a chance for BlueCo to re-sign the Belgian.
However, Liam Rosenior appears to have worked wonders with Moreira since his departure from Chelsea, and the tactician will not want to lose his versatile defender who has now become “one of the best” full-backs in Ligue 1.
“He’s an exceptional coach and player developer. And we’ve seen that with Diego Moreira, who was formerly at Chelsea, who has really transformed under Rosenior,” broadcaster Andy Brassell told talkSPORT.
“He was someone who had been on loan from Chelsea to Lyon and who didn’t look at all ready for top-level football.
“Then a year later he goes to Strasbourg, and all of a sudden he’s one of the best full-backs in the league because he changes positions. He’s so good, not just with the ball, but also without the ball. His defensive awareness is fantastic now.
“In terms of scoring and creating, the runs he makes, the awareness he has when Strasbourg no longer has the ball, all those parts of his games, really, Rosenior has absolutely transformed him. It’s incredible.”
Strasbourg are surprise contenders for the French title after a stunning start to the 2025/2026 year, and they came close to beating European champions PSG last week in a stunning 3-3 draw at the Parc des Princes.
They were two goals ahead at one point, and Moreira was at the heart of it all with a goal and an assist in the capital.
His performances have been nothing short of exceptional, and judging by his own admission last year, Moreira may not be clamoring to return to Chelsea anytime soon.
“I see myself staying here. Since I’ve been here, it’s a relief. I’ve rediscovered this joy of playing football, of having fun. Everything is great: the coach, the club, the infrastructure, the quality of life, the city,” he told La Derniere Heure.
“It’s true that the level of academic football is not comparable to that of professional football: you have the impression of stagnating, of not learning anything. Yes, you still learn something every day, but at that time I needed to gain experience. That’s not what I was looking for.”
