Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is looking forward to a touchline reunion with former team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy when he takes the Blues to Manchester United on Sunday.
Italian midfielder Maresca and Van Nistelrooy played together at Malaga in what was the final year of the striker’s glittering career, sharing a dressing room in the 2011-12 season.
Van Nistelrooy will remain in interim charge of United until after the international break, with the club confirming that Ruben Amorim will take over on November 11.
The Dutch coach, who is hoping to stay on under Amorim as an assistant, oversaw United’s 5-2 victory over Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
And although Maresca has not spoken to Van Nistelrooy ahead of the clash at Old Trafford, the Italian will enjoy crossing paths with his former colleague once again.
“I will give him a big hug on Sunday before the game,” Maresca said. “ Hopefully it’s a good time. I hope so. He’s a fantastic guy, humble, very professional.
“Unfortunately I shared with him a time when he was already finished – but even then you could see how good he was.
“We had a good group at that time with Malaga, so it’s always nice to remember that moment.”
Chelsea have not won at Old Trafford since May 2013 and are winless in their last 11 trips to Manchester United in all competitions.
The Blues were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in midweek, with Maresca making wholesale changes to his side, and he will revert to a first-choice line-up.
On-loan winger Jadon Sancho is ill but was ineligible anyway, with Maresca confirming that everyone else is available – including Reece James, who could make his third start of the season, and Wesley Fofana.
On Chelsea’s recent record at Old Trafford, Maresca said: “That shows how difficult it is, for every club. We’ll try and do our best and win the game.”
