Every word Enzo Maresca said on Cole Palmer injury, Chelsea team news, fresh Jadon Sancho blow

Enzo Maresca faced the media on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Chelsea's UEFA Conference League clash with Armenian side Noah on Thursday night.

The Blues have six out of six points in the competition's newly-named league phase thus far. Wins against Gent and Panathinaikos have put the west Londoners in a commanding position to qualify for the next round.

Going into Thursday night's game, Chelsea are once again massive favourites. However, Maresca is not taking the match lightly - as you can read below in the full transcript from his pre-match press conference...

How is Cole Palmer?

"He didn't train yesterday, so we will see today if he is able to train with us."

Do you think he might be ready for the Arsenal game?

"Hopefully. We hope so. But we need to wait, we need to see and then decide."

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How's Jadon Sancho?

"He is recovering from that [illness]. He had a knock in the session, so we will see. For tomorrow, he is out but we will see for Sunday's game, otherwise it will be after the international break."

Is anyone else out that we need to know about?

"No, the rest, apart from the ones that are not involved in the squad. The rest are all available."

Can we expect a huge number of changes?

"We don't make changes because of the big game on Sunday. Since we start, we make changes because we have 24, 25 players, all fit and all good enough to play different competitions. This is the reason why we are making changes."

When you're telling players they are starting these European games, how difficult is that because you've made it clear you have two different sort of teams?

"For me, it's not a problem in terms of the ones that are playing in the Premier League, they have all played games in the Conference League. Marc Cucurella, he played Panathinaikos away and then he didn't play in the Premier League.

"But I said many times: the ones that are playing in the Premier League doesn't mean they are not going to play in the Conference League and the ones that are playing in the Conference League doesn't mean they are not going to play in the Premier League.

"The season is long; we have so many games. I can understand from the outside you can see two teams but we are just one team, one squad with 24 or 25 players all fit fortunately and we are going to fight to use all of them."

How much did you know about Noah before you drew them?

"I heard [of them] before the game. In the last two or three days, we have watched different games from them and I said many times, in the Conference League it is a bit tricky because everyone against us wants the game. We need to be ready tactically but also mentally."

What can you expect from Noah?

"It is a team that in their country, they play different shapes so we don't know how they will come here and play. We try to be ready. In today's football, you can find a good player, a good squad, a good manager everywhere, not only in the most important league in Europe or the world. In this kind of country, you can find important things and for sure, they have some good players also."

If England were to select Reece James, would you be disappointed just because of how quickly he has come back?

"No idea, to be honest. We are happy in the way he is progressing with us in terms of his physical condition and also the way he is playing with us. We are happy with that."

Would you rather him not be in contention?

"No, I love my players joining the international team. It means it is good for the club, for the player, for the manager, it is good for all of them. I don't know if he is going to be with the national team."

Joao Felix cannot get Premier League minutes - is there something you hoped you would get from Felix that you have not seen?

"I feel shame about Joao - not only about Joao but you have asked me about Joao. I feel shame about Joao and I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League but I have said many times, we need defensive balance and we cannot play with Joao, Cole, Christo [Nkunku] - I like to put all of them inside the pitch but then you also have to defend and you need the right balance between the two phases of attacking and defending.

"This is the only reason why. There is no doubt if Joao keeps working well, he is going to find his moment also in the Premier League."

Is Felix a player like Mykhailo Mudryk - at a bit of a crossroads?

"Yeah, but we can say the same for Christo. Christo probably is the one that every time he plays, he scores and he did well. Also, probably was our best player in pre-season, no doubt. He was playing as an attacking midfielder and now we are using him as a No.9.

"We all know he is not a No.9, it's more second striker, behind the striker, between the lines. I try to find solutions and balance with all of them. I can understand that not all of them can be in their position, they need to adapt a little bit, so it is for Joao, for Misha, for Christo - they are all players that probably deserve more chances in the Premier League but we also have more players that deserve it."

You mentioned Mudryk's learning process was 'slow' last month - can you elaborate on that?

"First of all, after Panathinaikos, I think we played Newcastle at home and he played some minutes in the second-half. Then we played Newcastle away and he played from the start. We played United the other day and he played some minutes.

"So he is not playing from the start but he is playing. Probably defensively, also, there are things he needs to improve but him like all the rest."

Can you be more specific?

"On the ball, I think we need our wingers arriving in the box; the goal he scored against Panathinaikos. [The shot that hit] the post from [Pedro] Neto against Newcastle. We want our wingers arriving in the box. That is something they struggled with at the beginning but they are now doing much better.

"On the ball, I always say the same: I like wingers one-v-one but when there is no chance, do not force it; if there are two defenders there, don't force it. Start again. That is something we need to learn how to manage and for sure, defensively, sometimes when you find a full-back like [Tino] Livramento, who is a full-back that attacks a lot, you have to follow. You need both ways, attacking and defending."

What is his personality like? Does he need to come out of his shell a bit more?

"We are the way we are. It is difficult to change people, we can try to improve people but if you are shy or you are not shy, this is something that is inside of you and is difficult to change. With Misha, you can see he looks a little bit shy but overall when he is with us, he is okay."

Do you know what academy lads are going to be training with the first-team today?

"Tyrique [George], for sure, and Sam Rak-Sakyi, too. We will see."

How have you found working with the new Under-21s coach Filipe Coelho?

"Quite good. No problem."

On Nkunku, how has he found being used in these other competitions?

"I feel shame for Christo because I said before, in pre-season, he was probably our best player, playing I think in his position but because we need also to adapt players, we start to move him as a striker; knowing he is not a No.9, knowing that. But to find balance, sometimes we try that.

"Christo is similar to Joao. If they continue to work in the same way then for sure they are going to get minutes in the Premier League or in different competitions."

Is that what you want to see from these bigger name players, that they're not sulking?

"Not only about them but all of them. It is a matter of respect. If you, for instance, you don't play Sunday in the Premier League and then we have Conference League on Thursday and then from Sunday to Thursday you don't train well, you are not going to play Thursday.

"It is because I think they deserve respect. I try to help them to work the right way every day. If you are not playing Sunday and then you don't work properly, you are not going to play on Thursday, both games."

Would playing Cole Palmer on Sunday be a risk either way?

"Yeah, for sure. He didn't train the last two days. We will see. Hopefully he can be fit. The tackle, I think it's quite clear, was not a normal one. Hopefully he can be back."

Is the feeling if you don't win this trophy, it will be a bit of a failure?

"If we play the final, then probably yes, but for me, the main thing is the group stage and go for that. After the group stage, we will see. If we get to the final and don't win that, then for sure [it is a failure] but now you cannot think about the final when you still have group stage and all the rest to play."

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