The Conference League for Enzo
If Caicedo has been shining for several weeks, it is because his coach deployed Lavia alongside him, at the expense of Enzo Fernandez, who was named captain at the start of the season. While the Argentinian, who cost €120 million, will be able to console himself against Noah’s Armenians this Thursday in the Conference League (Lavia is not on the Blues’ European list), he must for the moment admit defeat against the great performance from the old Neerpede product. “There is no problem with Enzoinsisted Maresca before the match. We talk about him a lot because he cost so much. The only reason he doesn’t play is because I prefer the physical qualities of Caicedo and Romeo.”
In his pivotal role in the middle, against Manchester United, Lavia cleverly embodied this very rare combination, between positive aggressiveness, combativeness, cleanliness and intelligence on the restart. It also allowed Caicedo to express himself more freely on the offensive level, to take more risks in his numerous undertakings.
Excellent and decisive twice in a row, Roméo Lavia can finally shine with Chelsea… before the Devils? “I feel much better on the pitch”
Maresca knows him so well
Domenico Tedesco must have probably appreciated it. But if there’s one Premier League manager who understands the Belgian’s strengths so well, it’s Maresca. The Italian technician had him under his wing in the Manchester City youth teams and is slowly but surely relaunching his fragile protégé. So much so that today, Premier League followers agree: with Lavia and Caicedo, Chelsea have found the perfect pair to manage the midfield.
Now that the midfield seems rebalanced, it will probably remain to find a world-class goalkeeper to reach the next level: Robert Sanchez too easily conceded this penalty which allowed United to open the score. Still, Nicolas Jackson did not reach his usual level this Sunday either. Cole Palmer was more seductive than decisive.
The fact remains that Chelsea seems sufficiently armed to fight for a place in the top 4. At Manchester United, on the other hand, Ruben Amorim will have a lot of work to do when he takes office in a week.
Recovered from his injuries, Roméo Lavia wants to show himself: “My body has let me down, it’s my first real season at Chelsea”
