Did Enzo refuse to play? Alonso: No, it was a mutual decision with the club

In the second round of the Carabao Cup, Chelsea defeated Luton 2-0 at home. After the match, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso attended the press conference to answer questions from the media.

Xabi, congratulations on the victory. You fielded a very strong team. What do you think about the team's performance tonight?

Good evening everyone. Of course, we always want to field a competitive team. We take every match seriously. I think we're currently in a transition phase between pre-season and the official season, many things are just beginning, and various processes are still being established. It's great that some players made their debuts for the club. Also, it's wonderful to play our first official home match. It wasn't easy. We must also credit Luton—they made it difficult for us—but we played with confidence and patience, knowing the opening goal would come sooner or later, and we played very well.

What happened between yesterday's press conference and today that Enzo wasn't included in the squad? We all thought he would play tonight.

Yes, but we evaluate what's best for the team tonight from both an individual and collective perspective, what's better for the other players who will play, and then we make a decision.

Following up on the previous question, there are rumors in Argentina that he himself asked not to play in this match. Can you confirm that?

No, no, it was a decision made by me and the club together.

Regarding the players making their debuts today, what do you think about the performances of Welbeck, Penders, and Barco?

Yes, for them, it was a special day to remember. Mike (Penders) will certainly be happy because for a goalkeeper, a clean sheet on debut is always great. Valentin (Barco) was impressive, very dynamic, excellent with the ball, and very attentive to what was happening in midfield. Danny (Welbeck) was patient; he had to stay in the box and wait for crosses. In the first half, we came close to scoring but couldn't, and he scored the opening goal, which was crucial, with a fantastic assist from Gusto. He was in the right place and did what he does best—score goals from good positions.

After Reece James came off, you had Cole Palmer wear the captain's armband and play the full match. For some, it might be a bit surprising to keep him on the pitch. Why did you insist on keeping him on?

Cole had a good pre-season; he's well prepared. He's the type of player who can play 90 minutes. We have our own ideas, and it depends on the specific match situation, but Cole's fitness and endurance are very good. Now he needs to recover well for Sunday's match.

You've always said that building chemistry in attack is very important. I get the sense that even though Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers didn't score tonight, you must be quite satisfied with their performances, right?

Yes, overall, the team's performance was very solid. It was undoubtedly a match to learn how to break down a compact defense. Facing a 5-4-1 formation isn't easy against any team in any league, and we need to learn from that today because we'll encounter this situation in other matches as well.

Xabi, regarding Enzo's absence, you said it was a decision made by you and the club. Is that because there are ongoing negotiations concerning Enzo's transfer?

No, no, no, it's simply about tonight's match. We have other players who need playing time, so we made that decision.

When did you make that decision?

Yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon?

In the afternoon.

Did you speak to him about it?

It was my decision.

What was his reaction when you told him?

Very good. He's a professional player. He trains well, and I only have good things to say about him. It's just a decision we had to make considering tonight's match, and we'll see about Sunday's match.

Can we ask, there are rumors that Chelsea is in contact with E. Martínez. Is Robert still the starting goalkeeper?

I don't really want to talk about that because I prefer to speak only about players currently in my squad, to focus on them, and talking about other things would be disrespectful.

Regarding the goalkeeper situation, how would you evaluate Penders' performance tonight? If E. Martínez joins, what are your plans for the goalkeeper position going forward?

Regarding Mike (Penders), what's certain is that he will face more difficult matches in the future. But you can see that whenever he's under pressure, he plays calmly and is composed with the ball at his feet. He didn't have much to do today, but that's an excellent prospect for now and for the future. So we need to take it step by step. He's currently playing cup matches, and we'll have to wait and see.

Two questions: Given the transfer rumors surrounding E. Martínez, do you need to speak with Robert and Mike? Second, will Enzo be considered for your match on Sunday?

The match just finished. I was focused on the Luton match earlier, and now we need to shift gears. From tomorrow, we'll prepare for the Brighton match. No players were injured today, some players who played more need to recover, but we need full physical strength and a clear mind because we have a big battle here on Sunday.

Xabi, regarding the E. Martínez transfer rumors, throughout the summer, the club's message was that Chelsea was satisfied with the current goalkeeper lineup. What changed that? Is it because of Robert's performance Monday night, or why have things changed?

No, we're satisfied with the current squad, but as I've always said, we need to monitor the situation. The transfer window still has time, and we can still make decisions. Let's wait and see what happens next.

Traduit par IA.

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