Chelsea’s backline in last game vs Jose Mourinho was ridiculous, Enzo Maresca will be envious

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Enzo Maresca will wish that he had the kind of centre-back options that Chelsea had in 2021 when the Blues take on Benfica on Tuesday.

That was the last time Jose Mourinho came up against his former club, with his Tottenham Hotspur side losing 1-0.

Chelsea were able to keep a clean sheet that day, thanks to Thomas Tuchel’s tactics but also the incredible backline that the German was able to field.

Maresca would probably do anything to have that defence now, especially with Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo unavailable.

• READ MORE: Enzo Maresca confirms three key Chelsea players need to be assessed before Benfica tie

Jose Mourinho lost to Chelsea backline that had Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta

Maresca’s current backline is nowhere near as experienced as Tuchel’s was, with the current England manager having been able to call upon the likes of Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta during his time in west London.

All three men started in Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League win against Mourinho’s Tottenham in 2021, playing in a back five alongside Reece James and Marcos Alonso.

There was no Harry Kane that day, but the Blues still had to shut out another elite forward in Son Heung-min, which they managed to do.

Fast forward to now, and Mourinho is likely to face a Chelsea central defence that consists of Trevoh Chalobah and Jorrel Hato at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

They are not bad centre-halves. In fact, Hato looked solid against Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend.

However, neither comes close to Silva, Rudiger nor Azpilicueta. Mourinho should find trying to break Chelsea down much easier this time around.

Chelsea could sign new central defender in January

The good news for Maresca is that Chelsea could try to sign a more experienced centre-back in January.

It has been claimed that Chelsea have Gleison Bremer on their radar. At Juventus, Bremer has proven to be a bit of a leader like Silva, wearing the captain’s armband in his side’s thrilling 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Champions League matchday 1.

Understandably, Bremer idolises Silva. “I am also inspired by Giorgio Chiellini and Thiago Silva,” the Brazil international said last year.

Considering the options that he currently has, Maresca will be keen for Bremer to follow in Silva’s footsteps and join Chelsea in 2026.