Enzo Maresca has brushed off criticism of Chelsea’s handling of Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, insisting the pair’s current predicament pales in comparison to the decades of gruelling work endured by his 75-year-old father ahead of Saturday night's clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Chelsea boss was asked at his pre-match press conference about the futures of Sterling and Disasi, who continue to train away from the first-team group at Cobham as they await moves away from Stamford Bridge in January.
Their exile has sparked concerns from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), which has sought assurances that the duo are being given the proper facilities and opportunities to maintain match fitness.
Maresca, however, dismissed the notion that their situation amounts to hardship.
“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 morning,” the Italian said.
“This is a hard life. Not for players.”
Sterling, 30, is Chelsea’s highest-paid player, earning in excess of £300,000-a-week, and still has two years left on his contract.
The England international broke his silence last week by posting an Instagram story from Cobham at 8.21pm, showing himself preparing for an evening training session under floodlights.
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Centre-back Disasi, 27, earns around a third of Sterling’s salary but is under contract until 2029, making an exit in January potentially complicated.
Maresca stressed that both players are being treated professionally and provided with every tool necessary to maintain their fitness, but reiterated that they remain outside of his plans.
“I’ve been in Raheem’s situation and Axel’s situation as a player,” Maresca said.
“It’s not the best feeling for a player because if you are a player you want to train and play games. The situation is the situation.
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“I know the club is giving them the opportunity to work in the right way.
"I know it’s something you like and want to talk about, but it’s not just Chelsea – it’s any club in the world.
“I can promise you, Italy, Spain, England, France, USA, Brazil – any club in the world – when, for any reason, the player and the club don’t find a solution, you give the player all the tools to train and do everything.
"But if you are not involved in the squad, you are not involved in the squad. It’s not about Chelsea, it’s about any club.”
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Chelsea’s stance is likely to remain firm until the January window opens, when both Sterling and Disasi are expected to seek permanent exits or loan moves.
For now, the Blues are focused on improving their Premier League campaign, with Maresca’s side set to visit Manchester United on Saturday.
The Red Devils had gone into the campaign full of confidence after a positive pre-season under Ruben Amorim.
Results have, however, failed to live up to expectations.
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United have won just one of their first five matches across all competitions, with their Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town particularly chastening.
They were comprehensively thumped 3-0 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday.