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Maresca explains why Garnacho is struglling at Chelsea Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has attributed Alejandro Garnacho's challenging start in London to a lack of fitness upon his arrival, a direct result of his turbulent final months at Manchester United. The Argentine winger's move to Stamford Bridge came after a well-documented falling out with United's head coach, Ruben Amorim. The dispute began last December when Garnacho was dropped alongside Marcus Rashford. While Rashford eventually returned to the fold, Garnacho's relationship with the manager continued to deteriorate. Tensions peaked after the Europa League final in May, where Garnacho was limited to a brief substitute appearance in the loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Following the match, the winger strongly suggested he would seek a summer transfer. Amorim reportedly agreed, telling Garnacho in front of the squad that it would be best for him to find a new club. This led to a difficult summer for the 21-year-old, who was reportedly barred from United's training facilities while the first team was present. His exile continued into the new season, as he was left out of the squad for the first two weeks before a £40 million deal with Chelsea was finalised in late August. What Maresca said Maresca has used Garnacho sparingly since his arrival, a decision he explained was a direct consequence of the player's disrupted preseason. "Garna is doing well," the Chelsea boss stated ahead of a Carabao Cup match. "Garna is another player who we are trying to manage him a little bit physically, because he arrived here from United not 100% in his physical condition. "He is working hard every day, he is getting better and better, and in this moment we are happy with the way he is playing," Maresca added. Despite the acrimonious exit, Garnacho holds no grudges against his former club. "It was difficult moments, training alone, but I have nothing bad to say about my old club Manchester United. Just bad moments in life," he told TNT Sports earlier this season. Struggle for Minutes at Stamford Bridge Garnacho's limited playing time has made it difficult for him to make a significant impact at Chelsea. With a disjointed preseason and a wealth of attacking talent at Stamford Bridge, the winger has played just over 300 minutes for his new club. Maresca gave Garnacho only 11 minutes of Premier League action before his first start in October. In his second league start, he was substituted at halftime. However, he recently opened his account for the Blues, scoring his first goal against Sunderland last weekend. With Pedro Neto firmly established as the first-choice winger, Garnacho's opportunities depend heavily on Maresca's rotation. He faces stiff competition from players like Brazilian teenager Estêvão, who has matched Garnacho's five starts across all competitions but has delivered more convincing performances and registered more goal contributions.
