'EPL 123 Goal Man'SON' Sterling's 'Shock' statement, forewarned...Director"Most Important Player"→"Exclusion for Technical Reasons" Posture Change
Aug 19, 2024
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The Athletic, a global sports media outlet, shed light on Sterling's situation on the 19th (Korea time), saying, `Raheem Sterling and Chelsea, broken trust and briefing war, and a bleak future.'
Chelsea lost 0-2 to Manchester City in the opening round of the 2024-2025 English Premier League (EPL) at Stamford Bridge in London on the 19th. Chelsea did well by consistently pressing and attacking Manchester City, the strongest team in the league, until the beginning of the first half of the game, but the good trend did not last long. He was taken away by Erling Holan in the 18th minute of the first half, and later collapsed in the 39th minute of the second half when Matteo Kovacic allowed additional runs with a mid-range shot after breaking through the dribble himself.
However, Chelsea focused fans' attention on a problem different from the result of the match. It was Sterling's exclusion from the list and his statement.
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Sterling immediately responded with a statement. Sterling said "For the next three years, Sterling has signed a contract with Chelsea. Sterling returned to England two weeks early for individual training this summer and has developed a good relationship with the manager, having a positive pre-season under Maresca. Sterling is always committed to showing his fans the highest level of performance at Chelsea. Given that he was included in the club's official pre-match data this week, he expected to be involved in the match against Manchester City," he said, noting that he was surprised to be excluded from the list.
"We have had positive conversations with the club about Sterling's future at Chelsea. I also gained conviction. Therefore, I look forward to getting a clear position on this situation. Until then, we will support Sterling's desire to start the new season on a positive note," he said, urging a clear decision on the reason and future of the list to be excluded.
Behind Sterling's sudden statement after being excluded from the list was Maresca's sudden shift in position. The Athletic said Sterling's removal from the roster and his statement created a major buzz for fans, pundits and the media, obscuring Maresca's first game. The unusual timing and content raised eyebrows among club officials, referring to Maresca's sudden change in attitude, saying, "'Maresca's technical decision, except for Sterling, contrasts significantly with what he called one of our most important players during the pre-season.
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Sterling's exclusion from the list and the announcement of the statement also means that the Chelsea reform, which began with Sterling, the first major recruit since Boehly's regime, is turning again. The Athletic explained that the club's leadership judged Sterling's recruitment to be a failure in the first few weeks of Boehly's regime.
Chelsea are expected to rule Sterling out of the team's plans starting this season, and Sterling is also expected to be ready to split with the club with the statement. It remains to be seen whether Sterling will be able to leave Chelsea for the rest of the transfer window.
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As Sterling and the Chelsea club are at odds over the future, fans watching Chelsea are even more disturbed. Attention is also focusing on what decision Chelsea will make over Sterling's future before the end of the transfer market this summer.
digh1229@sportschosun.com
