Malo Gusto impressed his Chelsea teammates by completing and winning the club’s challenging bleep test on his return to training.
Chelsea’s players not participating in Euro 2024 or the Copa America have been undergoing intense training this week, with Enzo Maresca leading his first pre-season sessions.
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Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Noni Madueke, and club captain Reece James, along with new arrival Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham, were eager to impress their new manager.
Following a promising debut season with Chelsea, Gusto made a significant impression on the first day at Cobham.
The bleep test, involving repeated sprints between two 15-meter lines, assesses players’ fitness levels after the summer break and is a staple of Premier League pre-season training.
A video shared on Chelsea’s social media showed Gusto as the last man standing, receiving applause as he finished his final sprint.
The 21-year-old Frenchman, who shone in James’ absence at right-back last season, also received a high five from Adarabioyo as he left the pitch.
Gusto after he won the bleep test challenge. pic.twitter.com/jgWrfayA7S
— Zadaam (@Zadaam26) July 8, 2024
Chelsea fans heard from their new manager earlier this week, and it’s evident the Italian is excited to start his ‘fantastic journey’ in west London.
‘I’m very happy and excited,’ Maresca said in his opening interview as Chelsea head coach.
‘It will be a fantastic journey and I’m excited to get started [with the players] as soon as possible.
‘One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent,’ he said. ‘The most important thing now is we’re able to create the right culture that drives us for the season.
‘I always say the same: if you are able to improve players then you are able to improve the team. So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.’
Maresca promises to implement an ‘aggressive’ approach next campaign and hopes to turn Stamford Bridge into a fortress.
‘We are going to try to be an aggressive team on the ball and off the ball,’ the ex-Leicester boss added.
‘We need to create this connection between the fans and the club, especially at home.
‘When you have your own fans behind the team pushing, it’s like playing with 12 players and this is what we have to create here.’
