Since Maresca’s first competitive game in charge against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, Chelsea have only lost once in seven matches and that defeat came away to Servette when a much-changed line-up still progressed in the Conference League.

In fact, Chelsea have won five of our last seven matches - scoring 19 goals and only conceding five in the process.

The Blues extended our winning – and clean sheet – streak to three matches at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night when we beat League Two leaders Barrow 5-0, despite making 11 changes to the starting line-up.

History is full of Premier League teams going out of cup competitions to lower league opposition so why were Chelsea able to perform to such a high level despite making wholesale changes?

‘It is because of the ideas of the coach and the tactics,’ Disasi explained. ‘In training, we all train on the same system and all on the same tactics, so every player knows what they have to do in their position.

‘That is why it is easy for everyone even if we have a lot of changes. Everyone knows what they have to do.’

He continued: ‘Sometimes when you play against a lower league team you can become a little bit distracted, but the coach said that we have to stay serious and show everyone that Chelsea are a serious team that wants to win every game.’

The three-month anniversary of Maresca taking charge at Chelsea is fast approaching and so far the signs have been good, with the players speaking positively about the Italian as a coach and as a person, and the team sitting just three points below league leaders Manchester City and only one point off the Champions League positions after five games.

‘The relationship with the coach is good and every player knows what they have to do,’ Disasi said. ‘The tactics are clear and we have had good results so everything is going well.

‘The way we play shows the quality of all the players because the idea is to put the player in the best position to perform and to be good. So we have done this during the last few games and I hope that we will continue like this.’

Disasi was speaking in the tunnel at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night after captaining Chelsea for the first time.

The 26-year-old joined the Blues last summer after three years at Monaco, having also played professionally at Reims and Paris FC.

The centre-back, who has been capped five times by France and was part of the squad which finished runners-up at the 2022 World Cup, said: ‘I was very happy to captain Chelsea for the first time and I am very proud to have been captain of this big club. I hope that in the future I can captain the team more.

‘It shows that the team trust in me, and also that the coach trusts me, so I am very proud tonight.’

Focus now turns to Saturday’s match with Brighton & Hove Albion, who are just one point and two positions below Chelsea in the table.

The Seagulls are unbeaten under their new boss Fabian Hurzeler, who became the youngest head coach in Premier League history in the summer at the age of just 31.

Last season Hurzeler guided St Pauli back into the Bundesliga after a 13-year absence and is currently unbeaten as Brighton boss, with victories over Manchester United, Everton and Wolves – plus a 1-1 draw with Arsenal – already on his resume.

Disasi said: ‘Brighton have changed the head coach but I think they are still a very hard team to beat. They have already beaten teams like Manchester United so we know it will be a tough challenge for us but the way that we have performed in these last games, we are confident going into this match.’

You can learn more about Axel Disasi’s journey to Chelsea here.