Brentford took the lead through Kevin Schade’s strike in the 35th minute, but Cole Palmer brought Chelsea back into the game with an equaliser just past the hour mark. Moises Caicedo then put the Blues in front in the 85th minute, which almost sealed a comeback win, but Fabio Carvalho’s last-gasp equaliser helped the Bees walk away with a point.
Maresca made significant changes to the starting lineup that comfortably beat Fulham in their last Premier League game, raising questions about whether the Italian coach was prioritising their Champions League encounter against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. However, the Blues boss refuted such claims.
When asked if he had the Bayern game in mind before the Brentford clash, Maresca said: “No, no, no, no, absolutely [not]. Joao Pedro, before the game, asked me that he was not fit 100 percent, better [that he] doesn’t play. And so if I was thinking about Bayern Munich, Joao was on the bench. But Joao played because the focus was about tonight. But for sure, when you have so many games, you have to plan a different option.
“For instance, Reece James played two games with the international team. So play tonight and thinking on Wednesday. So it’s not, our focus was about tonight. And the reason why is because if this season we play Champions League, it’s because we did well in the Premier League. And if we want to play again Champions League next season, we need to do well in the Premier League.”
Chelsea will face Bayern on Wednesday in Munich before taking on Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 20.
