Maresca Slams Sterling and Disasi, Citing His 75-Year-Old Father’s Work Ethic

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has once again drawn a hard line on out-of-favour stars Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, insisting there is little hope of their reintegration into the squad.

Speaking to the press ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, Maresca made a stinging comparison between the players’ attitudes and his 75-year-old father’s work ethic.

“My father is 75 years old, and for 50 years he has been a fisherman working from two o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock in the evening,” Maresca said. “This is sad in life. Not here the way (Sterling and Disasi) work.”

Both Sterling and Disasi have been banished from first-team training, left to train alone after failing to secure moves away during the summer transfer window. Sterling, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal, and Disasi, who played at Aston Villa, could not convince their temporary clubs to sign them permanently.

Despite earning as much as £325,000 per week, Sterling has been sidelined, while Disasi has also struggled to meet expectations since joining Chelsea.

Maresca has made it clear that hard work and discipline, not reputation or wages, will define his project at Stamford Bridge.

Opinion: A Brutal but Honest Reality Check

Maresca’s comments may sound harsh, but they reveal a reality often lost in modern football — talent without work ethic means very little. His father’s story as a fisherman working relentless hours until old age is not just a dig at Sterling and Disasi, but a reminder that footballers, despite their wealth, are still expected to put in the grind.

Sterling, once England’s poster boy, and Disasi, a highly rated defender, now risk watching their careers stall because of poor commitment. Football is unforgiving — reputations can fade faster than they’re built, and clubs like Chelsea, under a strict manager like Maresca, have no room for complacency.

The Italian’s stance sends a powerful message not just to Sterling and Disasi, but to the entire Chelsea squad: work harder than your excuses, or risk being left behind.

As Chelsea prepare to face Manchester United, fans will be watching closely — not just the result, but whether Maresca’s bold leadership can turn this turbulent squad into a disciplined, competitive unit.