There was growing concern surrounding Chelsea’s third group game at the Club World Cup when Andrey Santos was once again left out of the starting eleven despite a number of rotations being made to the team.
This decision raised eyebrows among supporters and pundits alike, especially given the extent of the changes Mauricio Maresca had already decided to make.
Midfield mainstay Moises Caicedo was given a much-needed rest for the game against ES Tunis, allowing Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia to take up central midfield roles, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was pushed into a wider role for the occasion.
Chelsea started the game slowly, looking a little disjointed as they adapted to the rotation, but gradually they grew into the contest and went on to produce a dominant display that yielded a comfortable 3-0 win.
Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, and Tyrique George secured Chelsea’s passage into the Round of 16, ensuring that they took care of business against the Tunisian club.
Santos was finally given his chance midway through the second period when Maresca introduced him into the game on 67 minutes as Chelsea searched for their third goal.
Despite his limited time on the pitch, the Brazilian made a good impression, registering an assist, creating a chance, completing 16 of his 17 passes, and winning two of his four duels.
His tidy and industrious performance only fueled more debate as to why he hadn’t been handed a bigger role sooner.
In his post-match remarks, Maresca took time to acknowledge the player’s promising cameo but was also quick to temper expectations.
The Chelsea boss told journalist Ben Jacobs that although Santos is working hard on the training ground, he still requires further adaptation to Chelsea’s tactical setup.
Maresca emphasized that this process of understanding the club’s playing style is one all new arrivals must go through, and that continued commitment and patience will eventually earn them more substantial opportunities.
That said, Santos’ situation is becoming increasingly delicate. The young midfielder has expressed a desire for regular first-team football, and with fierce competition for places from the likes of Caicedo, Fernandez, Lavia, and new signing Dario Essugo, breaking into Chelsea’s midfield is no small task.
The club will need to manage Santos carefully to avoid losing a talent who is clearly being watched by Europe’s top clubs. Heavyweights like Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Barcelona are all monitoring his situation closely, aware of his hunger for game time.
Balancing his development with squad rotation will be key if Chelsea want to retain one of their most promising young stars going forward.
