Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has strongly defended his decision to isolate Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi from the first team, dismissing claims that their current training conditions are "hard." The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) had reportedly contacted Chelsea over the conditions the two players are working under after being deemed surplus to requirements and failing to secure moves during the recent transfer window. Maresca explicitly stated he has neither seen nor spoken to Sterling or Disasi this season, with both players training and eating alone, entirely separate from the main squad.

Maresca, who admitted to having experienced similar situations as a player, expressed a degree of sympathy, acknowledging that being frozen out is "not the best feeling" for a player who wants to train and play. However, he quickly tempered this by drawing a stark comparison to his father's life. He highlighted that his 75-year-old father worked as a fisherman for 50 years, often from 2 AM to 10 AM, calling that a "hard life," not the "way a player works." He reiterated that Chelsea is providing them with the opportunity to "work in the right way" despite their exclusion.

Both Sterling and Disasi remain under significant contracts at Stamford Bridge. Sterling, on a £325,000-per-week deal, has two years remaining and reportedly turned down opportunities to move abroad, including to Bayern Munich and Napoli, due to a preference to stay in England for family reasons. Disasi, with a contract extending until 2029, also saw several potential loan moves to clubs like Monaco, Bournemouth, Sunderland, and West Ham collapse, either due to lack of formal offers or his rejection of the destinations. Their substantial wages mean that unilaterally terminating their contracts under FIFA regulations, which permit such action in cases of "abusive conduct," would involve writing off tens of millions of pounds in earnings. Sterling's remaining deal is worth around £30 million, and Disasi's over £20 million. Chelsea has vehemently rejected suggestions that their treatment of the players constitutes "abusive conduct" under FIFA rules.

Maresca stressed that the situation is not unique to Chelsea, affirming that such scenarios occur at "any club in the world" when players and clubs cannot find a mutual solution for a player no longer involved in the squad. Both players have publicly alluded to their predicament; Sterling posted a picture of himself training alone at 8:21 PM, while Disasi also shared an image related to the 'bomb squad' changing room. Despite the PFA's involvement to ensure adequate training facilities, the manager's firm stance suggests no immediate change for the isolated duo.