Chelsea will face West Ham United in a derby clash at the London Stadium in the second round of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Coach Maresca stated in an interview that new signing Esteban Willian has a chance to make his first start for Chelsea.

The 18-year-old Esteban William officially joined Chelsea this summer and came on the bench in the first round of the Premier League season against Crystal Palace.

Speaking about the young winger, Chelsea coach Maresca said, "Since he joined the team, he has performed well both in games and in training. But for me, he needs a gradual process. He is still very young and we must use him with caution."

"After his performance against Crystal Palace, he could certainly start tomorrow but we'll make a decision based on how he's doing in training so far."

In addition, Andre Santos, who was loaned to Strasbourg last season, flew to the United States with Chelsea in June to participate in the 2025 Club World Cup, and also came on as a substitute in the first round of the Premier League this season.

Maresca continued, "I am very happy with André Santos and I am glad that he is with us. He can play the role of Enzo or in the position of Caicedo. He started against Palmeiras in the Club World Cup and played very well as a number 6. The most important thing is that he has the ability to play in both positions."

"My philosophy has always been the same. Who starts depends on the training conditions every day. With such a tight schedule, we have to rotate. In last season's UEFA European Association League, we changed 10 to 11 players in the early stages of the game."

Maresca added, "But this situation is not feasible in the Champions League this season. We still need to make adjustments because players cannot play all 60 games. Once someone's form declines, the players behind him must be ready to play at any time."