In it for the long run

RUSHED PRE-SEASON MAY HELP BLUES' CHARGE FOR TOP

- Paul Brown

The Blues have had so little time to prepare for the new season that Maresca has been unable to even give them all fitness tests.

Chelsea won the Club World Cup this summer but their exploits in the USA have left them playing catch-up.

Boss Maresca said: “We didn't do any physical tests. We didn't have time to do this kind of thing. There was no time!

“When I was a player, my preseason was different. It was longer, 40 days, one month... So you have time to do all the tests. Do I think the players quite like it? I imagine they prefer the technical work than the running. Probably they prefer it!”

Chelsea's season extended all the way to July 13 when they faced, and beat, Paris Saint-Germain in the States.

And they will only have been back in training for 13 days before they face Palace at Stamford Bridge.