Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is facing growing scrutiny over his aggressive squad rotation policy, following a chaotic 2-2 Champions League draw against Qarabag. The Blues have now made 85 changes in 16 matches across all competitions this season—more than any other Premier League side.

Even with a squad valued at over £1 billion, the Blues struggled against Qarabag, whose team value stands at just £22 million. Despite taking an early lead through Estevao Willian, defensive errors from Jorrel Hato gifted Qarabag a shock advantage, before Alejandro Garnacho’s equalizer spared Chelsea’s blushes.

Is Chelsea Rotating Too Much Under Maresca?

Wednesday’s starting XI featured only four players from the previous league win against Tottenham—goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Joao Pedro. It was the fifth straight match in which Maresca made at least seven changes, raising doubts about his so-called “tinkerman” approach, a nickname once given to Claudio Ranieri.

Maresca defended his strategy, stating:

“When we make changes, it is because we think the plan with the players that start is the correct one… every game is a chance for all of them to show the reason why they are here.”

Does Rotation Explain Chelsea’s Inconsistency?

Chelsea’s form this season has been highly unpredictable. The team has often performed well against top sides—thanks to key players like Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Garnacho—but faltered against lower-ranked teams.

Injuries and load management are major factors. Maresca is easing back players like Liam Delap and managing minutes for others due to a congested schedule stemming from Chelsea’s extended 13-month season last year, due to the Club World Cup.

The Italian manager explained:

“We try to rotate… because they are not able to play every three days. They need recovery from last season.”

But with rivals like Tottenham and Arsenal doing far less rotation while still balancing league and European campaigns, questions remain whether this approach is counterproductive.

Young Players Struggle in Pressure Moments

Chelsea’s first-half performance against Qarabag highlighted the risks of too much experimentation. With youngsters like Hato, Jamie Gittens, and Tyrique George looking overwhelmed and midfielder Romeo Lavia forced off after four minutes due to injury—concerns over squad depth and readiness persist.

Lavia, signed for £53m, has had 10 injuries and missed 87 matches since 2023. He has yet to play a full 90 minutes for Chelsea.

Expert Verdict: “Chelsea Can’t Compete Like This in the Champions League”

European football expert Julien Laurens told Champions League Match of the Day:

“All the changes worked last season, but tonight showed they can’t expect to do it in the Champions League.”

Laurens compared Maresca’s decisions to those of managers like Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, who also have large squads but avoid excessive lineup changes to maintain cohesion.

“Too many changes are counter-productive… especially in the Champions League.”

With Chelsea still likely to qualify from their group, the bigger issue now is whether rotation is holding the club back from achieving consistency needed to compete at the highest level.