My father was a fisherman — Maresca speaks on Chelsea's treatment of Sterling and Disasi

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has rejected the notion that the Blues were mistreating Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, arguing that there were much tougher professions in the world than being a professional footballer. 

Chelsea have been strict with the players they deem surplus to requirements, freezing them out of the squad until they successfully move them out. 

They were able to move on players like Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Lesley Ugochukwu, leaving Sterling and Disasi as the only unwanted players remaining on their books. 

Following recent reports that PFA chief Maheta Molango contacted Sterling and Disasi to enquire about the isolation they are experiencing, Maresca insisted that the players were being treated fairly. 

"My father is 75 years old, and for 50 years he has been a fisherman, working from 2 o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock in the morning," he said, per Goal. This is hard in life, not a player, the way they work.

"I have been in Raheem and Axel's situation as a player. For sure, I know it is not the best feeling for a player because you want to train; you want to play a game. For different reasons, the situation is the situation. I know that the club is giving them the opportunity to work in the right way.

"It is not just Chelsea; it’s any club in the world. I can promise you Italy, Spain, England, France, USA, Brazil. When for any reason the club and player doesn’t find a solution, you give the player all the tools to do the training session, everything. If you are not involved in the squad, you are not involved in the squad."