Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei has admitted that he “wasn’t very happy” under manager Mauricio Pochettino in the second half of last season.
Casadei joined Leicester on a year’s loan in the summer of 2023 and impressed as the Foxes, coached by Enzo Maresca, initially ran away with the Championship title race. But he was recalled to Stamford Bridge early, only to be given sporadic minutes by Pochettino.
“I was doing very well on loan,” the 21-year-old Tuttosport, looking back at the situation.
“However, in mid-January, Chelsea, who own my contract until 2028, called me home. And with Pochettino it was quite difficult for me. I only played bits and pieces, 11 appearances but a total of just 71 minutes on the pitch, at most in the last quarter of an hour and above all as substitutes.
“I wasn’t very happy. Everyone would like to play a bit more.”
Casadei, reunited with Maresca in the summer, stayed with Chelsea this season but is still waiting for his chance. The Italian talent is yet to get on the pitch in the Premier League, although he did play 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup against Barrow and in the Conference League against Gent.
Maresca hasn’t been an automatic ticket into the team, but Casadei appears optimistic about working with his fellow countryman and what the coach is doing for a now resurgent Chelsea.
“When I saw Maresca arrive at Stamford Bridge in the summer I was excited,” he said.
“We already knew each other because he was my coach in the first six months of last season at Leicester City. However, I’m not the only one who has already worked with him: [Kiernan] Dewsbury-Hall also comes from Leicester while [Cole] Palmer and [Romeo] Lavia played at Manchester City when Maresca was [Pep] Guardiola’s technical assistant.
“The coach was very clear from day one: everyone understood his ideas and how he wanted to play. The fact that we are compatriots only helps me from a language point of view, in the sense that I can immediately understand. For the rest, I’m one of the squad like everyone else: no privileges.
“I like the way he thinks and sees football. We are working well under his guidance. I think he is a great coach because he is able to bring out the best in everyone. He is demanding, but that is how it should be. We are at Chelsea, we have high expectations.”
