Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca is preparing his side for a significant clash against Flamengo in the Club World Cup in Philadelphia, a match set to test the team amidst challenging conditions. Ahead of the encounter, Maresca addressed the ongoing situation involving Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who faces charges from England's Football Association for violating anti-doping rules.

Despite the serious allegations, Maresca affirmed his trust in Mudryk, stating, "'Mischa' is a Chelsea player. As long as he is a Chelsea player, I will trust all the Chelsea players." Mudryk has been provisionally suspended by the FA since November 28 following an "adverse finding in a routine urine test" conducted in December. This suspension has kept him out of Chelsea's lineup, and he is not with the squad for the tournament in the United States. Should the charges be upheld, Mudryk could face a ban of up to four years under FA regulations. Maresca confirmed he has not had direct contact with Mudryk since their UEFA Conference League final win over Real Betis in Poland late last month, but expects communication in the coming days or weeks.

Mudryk, who was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 for a substantial 100 million euros ($115 million), has struggled with inconsistency during his tenure at Chelsea, netting only 10 goals in 73 appearances across all competitions. Maresca revealed that the club is actively looking to bolster its attacking options, specifically seeking a new wide attacker before the Premier League season commences. He acknowledged the team's need to improve in that position, noting, "We had already one entire season almost without 'Mischa', last season, and we tried to find different solutions with some of the academy players, like Tyrique (George), but we are going to decide to go for a winger. It is quite clear that it is a position we need to improve."

Turning attention to the Club World Cup, Chelsea is set to face Flamengo on Friday at 2:00 pm local time. The match is anticipated to be a crucial determinant for the top spot in Group D, with both teams having secured victories in their opening matches—Chelsea defeated Los Angeles FC, and Flamengo overcame Esperance. Maresca highlighted the challenging conditions in Philadelphia, characterized by rising heat and humidity, which he believes could favor the Brazilian side. In response, he plans to implement several rotations in his lineup, with players such as Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto, and new signing Liam Delap vying for starting positions. Maresca emphasized the need for rotation due to the temperature, admitting, "Unfortunately for us Brazilian teams are more used to playing with this kind of temperature, but it doesn't matter, we will try to do our best and win the game."

Flamengo, under the guidance of former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea player Filipe Luis, enters the match in formidable form, currently leading the Brazilian league and having lost only one of their last 16 games. Maresca commended their playing style, describing them as "a very good team, they play nice football, it is nice to watch them. Like any Brazilian team they are full of quality, technical players, and we will need to be at our best to win the game." Filipe Luis, who previously competed against Maresca during their playing days in Spain, shared fond memories of his time at Chelsea, where he made 26 appearances in the 2014/15 season under Jose Mourinho, securing a Premier League title and League Cup. He acknowledged the challenging competition he faced from Cesar Azpilicueta but cherished the "amazing experience" of playing for Chelsea, maintaining many friendships within the club and city, making the upcoming match a particularly special moment for him.