Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that he will be paying no special attention towards Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian in Friday's Club World Cup quarter-final.

The Premier League and Brasileiro giants are squaring off in Philadelphia as they bid to earn a last-four spot in the tournament.

However, there is a sub-plot involving Estevao, who will be completing a £51.5m transfer to Stamford Bridge at the conclusion of the competition.

Estevao has started each of Palmeiras' four games and there is every expectation that will continue at Lincoln Financial Field.

Maresca comments on Estevao

As expected, Maresca was quizzed on the situation involving the 18-year-old at his pre-match press conference.

Despite the obvious headlines that the scenario is generating, Maresca says that full focus will be on trying to overcome Palmeiras as a team rather than singling Estevao out.

Quoted by football.london, the Italian said: "When we prepare games, we are used to prepare games thinking about the team, not the players that they are on the other side. And we have done exactly the same in this game.

"So we prepare the game against Palmeiras, not against Estevao. In this moment, he is a Palmeiras player that is going to play against Chelsea tomorrow. So we don't care if in the future he will be with us when this competition is finished.

"The only thing we are focused on is to do our best to try to beat Palmeiras and not to beat Estevao. Just think about them as a team."

'I have never spoken with Estevao'

Later in the media briefing, Maresca revealed that he is yet to hold a direct conversation with Estevao, despite the amount of money that has been spent on his signature.

He added: "I never talk with Estevao since I joined Chelsea. I met his family at training ground. Nice family, fantastic family. But as I said, we start to talk about the future when this competition is finished.

"Now is not the moment to talk about the future, Estevao's future. Everyone knows that this is a talented player, but in this moment is Palmeiras player."

Although Estevao will likely be handed an extended break at the end of this competition, he is currently expected to be a part of Maresca's squad for 2025-26.

Written by
Darren Plant