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Maresca on coping without Jackson, first-choice Jorgensen and Brighton

Maresca on coping without Jackson, first-choice Jorgensen and Brighton

BBC News13-02-2025

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game away at Brighton (20:00 GMT).Here are the key lines from his news conference:Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile will likely be out until after the March international break. Marc Guiu will be out for "a while" with a hamstring injury. Reece James missing the 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton last weekend was planned and the defender is "OK".Maresca spoke on whether Christopher Nkunku can replace Jackson, stating: "Christoph could be one of the solutions but he's not the only solution. I consider Christoph a very important player. He can try to help us."Asked what the other solutions are, Maresca said: "We are trying to find different solutions, can be Christoph or a different kind of player. When you don't have a proper nine who can be a threat always you have to change. Pedro [Neto], Noni [Madueke] or even Tyrique [George] can try and maybe be the solution. Jadon [Sancho] maybe with different skills."Maresca confirmed Filip Jorgensen is Chelsea's Premier League goalkeeper "at the moment", adding: "The Filip solution was also to give Robert some time to recover mentally and physically. The idea is not to go game-to-game. I spoke to Robert before West Ham. They know in this moment the situation."On the Blues' dip in form and cup exits after a fine start to to the season: "Our journey in the Premier League and Conference League has been fantastic. We will try and finish in the best way we can. Don't forget in the last two years Chelsea have not been top four and this season all the time in the top four. This shows everyone we are in the right direction. This club belongs in the Champions League."Maresca reasserted the club did not specify a target for this season, stating: "The club never said the target was top four. When I arrived the target was in two years we play Champions League."On facing the Seagulls for the second time in a week: "I expect a similar one. In all the games they try to be quite aggressive. I expect a very similar game. It's fresh in your mind the way they attack and defend. You know what they do and try to do. It's probably better to face them immediately." Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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