Raheem Sterling's one-word Chelsea message speaks volumes amid Alejandro Garnacho update
by Patrick Austen-Hardy · football.londonThe contrasting developments of Raheem Sterling and Alejandro Garnacho's careers were summed up in their recent Instagram posts.
The Chelsea duo may play for the same club but they are not operating in the same team. Sterling has been banished to the so-called 'bomb squad' by Enzo Maresca, which also features Axel Disasi and, until recently, David Datro Fofana, who moved on loan to Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk.
Before his move to Chelsea was secured, Garnacho was a member of the Manchester United 'bomb squad', after he and Ruben Amorim had a similar falling out to Sterling and Maresca. The sudden changes in both players' careers can be exemplified in the two forward's social media posts, particularly in Sterling's.
On his Instagram story, the ex-Manchester City forward posted a night time picture of the Blues' Cobham Training facility at 8.21pm. With visible mist in the air, Sterling added a one-word caption which simply said: "Training" with a handshake and freezing cold face emoji.
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Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Garnacho uploaded some professionally taken photographs of him taking a shot while training with the Blues. The key difference is the Argentine's training picture was taken either late in the morning or early in the afternoon.
The difference in pictures highlights the fact they are training at completely different times with Sterling, metaphorically and physically, left out in the cold. Garnacho would have likely been in the same situation at United had Chelsea not signed him on transfer deadline day.
Despite interest from the likes of Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen, Sterling opted to remain at the club so he could stay in London, where his young son Thiago is currently on the books with the Arsenal academy.
Sterling has two years left on his contract which is reportedly worth around £325,000 per-week. Considering the Italian's comments before the 2-2 away draw to Brentford, Maresca will be keeping Sterling exactly where he cannot see him.
When asked about the 'bomb squad', the Italian said: "They are Chelsea players, but at the moment they are training separately and the plan is to continue in this way.
"Since the season started, I haven't seen either of them. I haven't seen Axel or Raheem. They train at a different time and on a different pitch. I haven't seen them since the start of the season."
Meanwhile, Garnacho looks set to become a key part of Maresca's first team. The Argentine played a key role in Moises Caicedo's goal against the Bees, running down the line and providing a low cross which was diverted to the Ecuadorian.
However, his lack of match fitness was perhaps exposed when he failed to track the back post run of Fabio Carvalho for Brentford's 93rd minute equaliser. Garnacho will be hoping to be involved in the Blues' titanic Champions League clash against Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening.
He will then be licking his lips when the west Londoners travel to face his former club at Old Trafford, where he will look to pile the pressure on Amorim.
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