Chelsea's immediate focus will be on their Monday night clash with LAFC as the Blues chase down more silverware under Maresca who has already led his side back to the Champions League as well as the Conference League last season. Maresca is confident that Cole Palmer will demonstrate his talent on the global stage during the Club World Cup despite many believing many players will be low on stamina.
"I've said it more than once: Cole Palmer is up there with the best players who can produce something at any moment, create something out of nothing.
"He wasn't with me on the USA tour last summer, so it will also be a chance for him to experience the environment there and to introduce himself to North America."
However, despite the England international's excellent form heading into the competition, he was spotted wearing a mask whilst getting off the plane this week which suggested he may be ill. Maresca was asked about this and admitted that he is not 100% that it wasn’t a joke.
“To be honest, I saw him on the flight with the mask, but I didn’t ask,” said Maresca.
“I think, probably, because he was a little bit…to be honest, I don’t know if it was even for a joke, I don’t know.
“He is okay. He did a session two or three days in a row with us and he is okay.”
Palmer no doubt will join the likes of Lionel Messi, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe in the United States this month as teams fight for one of the biggest prize pools ever created in sporting history. Chelsea’s group, consisting of LAFC, Flamengo and ES Tunis, should be simple for Maresca who may not need Palmer for the opening few games.