Jurgen Klopp offers solution for Enzo Maresca’s injury crisis at Chelsea

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Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp thinks he knows how to prevent injury crises, such as the one Chelsea are currently enduring.

Chelsea are without several of their key players right now, which is impacting the team’s performances.

They have now lost their last two Premier League games after being beaten by Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

Of course, the two red cards that they picked up in both matches were the main issue. But Maresca is not being helped by all of these injury problems, with Joao Pedro, Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos now concerns.

• READ MORE: How Enzo Maresca truly feels about Chelsea squad amid poor form

Jurgen Klopp calls for an end to new tournaments following Chelsea’s post-Club World Cup injury crisis

For Chelsea, the damage is already done. But going forward, Klopp thinks the Blues and others can avoid injury crises if they are not forced to compete in new competitions, such as the Club World Cup.

In an interview with The Athletic, the German said: “Did I read this morning that Chelsea have an injury crisis? Maybe they would have had injuries (anyway).

“My expertise is I know how much you can expect from football players. I know about intensity in training. We always ask for more. We go, go, go. I don’t doubt it was a great tournament. I didn’t watch it. Chelsea were super happy to win it. Great, a lot of money. But at one point we have to take care of the few people this game would not exist without: the players.

“There’s no solution besides stopping organising new tournaments in the summer break. There’s no break anymore for the best players in the world. You wouldn’t do this in any other part of life. Imagine you put the best artist out every night until they fall down and then we say sorry, he lost focus.”

Klopp is not the only person who has been vocal about FIFA’s reformatted tournament. Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley recently spoke about it and was very critical.

Following his old side’s 3-1 defeat to Brighton, Burley described the Club World Cup as “absolute nonsense”.

With all of the above being said, even if Chelsea had a completely fit squad, you would still have to question whether it would have been good enough for them to challenge in the Premier League this season and go on a deep run in the Champions League.

Question marks still remain over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, for example, with the 27-year-old getting sent off at Old Trafford.

Which Chelsea players are currently injured?

There is still a possibility that Pedro, Caicedo and Santos could all feature against Benfica in the Champions League. While the trio have small problems, they were never ruled out of the game entirely.

However, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Liam Delap, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and Dario Essugo will all be unavailable.

Had all of these players been fit, Chelsea’s season would probably look a lot different right now.