Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has downplayed Raheem Sterling’s frustrations at being frozen out of the squad, comparing the player’s situation to the real struggles faced by ordinary people like his father.

Speaking at a press conference, Maresca recalled his father’s tough life as a fisherman:

“My father is 75 years old and for 50 years he has been a fisherman, working from two o’clock in the morning until 10 in the morning. That is a hard life. Not for players.”

Sterling, Chelsea’s highest-paid player on £300,000 a week, has been excluded from first-team activities and now trains alone at Cobham. Defender Axel Disasi is in the same situation, though on lower wages, with both players waiting for the January transfer window.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has intervened to ensure they still have access to proper facilities. Sterling recently posted a late-night training photo on Instagram, showing the lonely reality of being in Chelsea’s so-called “bomb squad.”

Maresca insisted the situation was not unusual:

“I’ve been in Raheem’s and Axel’s situation as a player. It’s not the best feeling, but it happens at every club in the world. If you are not in the squad, you are simply not involved.”

Sterling has not featured for Chelsea since May 2024 under Mauricio Pochettino. He spent last season on loan at Arsenal but struggled to rediscover his Manchester City form.

His exclusion has divided opinion, with many believing the treatment is unfair given his decorated career — four Premier League titles, five League Cups, an FA Cup, and 82 England caps.