Moises Caicedo issues verdict after Dario Essugo opens up on Chelsea debut
Moises Caicedo was among the Chelsea players to react after Dario Essugo took to Instagram to open up on his debut for the Blues in the Club World Cup.
It has already been a busy start to the summer transfer window at Stamford Bridge, with five new players completing moves to the club.
Essugo joined Chelsea from Sporting CP earlier this month on an eight-year contract until the summer of 2033.
Having completed that move, it has not taken long for the midfielder to get his first taste of action with Enzo Maresca‘s side.
Dario Essugo reflects on Blues debut
On Monday (16 June), Chelsea beat LAFC 2-0 in the opening game of their Club World Cup campaign, thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
It was a match that provided a significant moment for Essugo, who came off the bench with 84 minutes on the clock to replace Caicedo and make his debut for the club.
After the game, the 20-year-old took to Instagram to reflect on that landmark moment in his career, as he wrote: “Great feeling to wear this shirt for the first time! The journey begins!”
In response, Caicedo paid tribute to his new teammate for his efforts and performances, seemingly approving of them by commenting with a series of applause emojis.
Meanwhile, a number of other Chelsea players such as Malo Gusto, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Renato Veiga and fellow new signing Liam Delap showed their support by liking that post.
Geovany Quenda is due to join Chelsea from Sporting next summer, and he also did the same to back the midfielder.
Chelsea make a solid start to Club World Cup campaign
Football Insider Verdict
Enzo Maresca will be pleased with how things have begun for his side with this win in their opening game of the tournament.
Although LAFC did have moments where they put Chelsea under pressure, the Premier League side rarely looked to be in too much trouble as they got the win.
As a result, they have avoided an early banana skin and got points on the board that put them in a strong position to progress through the tournament.
Beyond that, this game also allowed him to give debuts to Delap and Essugo, who were both solid, and now have time to integrate into the squad in a competitive environment ahead of next season.
All in all, this can therefore be considered a successful start to the Club World Cup for Chelsea in multiple ways.