Liam Rosenior moved quickly to play down any concerns over Reece James after substituting his captain at half-time during Chelsea’s 1-0 Champions League win over Pafos.
James made way for Estevao at the interval at Stamford Bridge, a change that immediately raised eyebrows given the defender’s importance and history with fitness issues.
Speaking after the match, Rosenior stressed the substitution had been planned in advance.
“I’m managing the group as best as I can,” Rosenior said. “We have so many games. Reece is so important. I don’t normally do pre-planned substitutions, but I wanted Reece to play the way I needed him to, while also protecting him because of how important he is to us.”
The Chelsea head coach explained that the switch also allowed his side to take a more aggressive approach as they searched for a breakthrough.
“So we made an attacking change, brought on Estevao for Reece and played with an extra attacking player,” he added. “I thought Estevao was very, very good when he came on.”
Chelsea eventually found the decisive moment through Moises Caicedo, whose goal secured all three points in a demanding contest. The midfielder admitted it had been a difficult evening.
“It was a very important goal for the team, so I’m really happy because the game was tough,” Caicedo said. “The team performed well, we got the three points and now we keep going because we still have one more game.”
Caicedo also reflected on his growing responsibility within the squad, suggesting he prefers to lead through his actions.
“A lot of people say I am a leader,” he said. “I don’t talk too much in the dressing room, but I try to show it on the pitch and in training.”
Facing a deep defensive block, Chelsea were required to remain patient, something Caicedo felt they managed effectively.
“It’s difficult to play against that, but we controlled the game really well,” he added. “That was important because at every moment we felt we could score.”
