“Since I joined the club, it’s my view to rotate players. No-one complains when you win. When you don’t win I can understand no-one is agreeing.

“I loved rotation as a player. Football is a bit different compared to years ago in terms of physicality and intensity. It’s impossible to play with the same players 65 games in one season.

“If you want to see the season like a marathon, when you are in February and March, the last sprint, you have to think in a different way. But it’s a long race.”

Maresca defended his decision to play Jorrel Hato in Baku, after the teenage defender was at fault for both Qarabag goals.

“When the rotation is Andrey Santos, a Brazil international, and Jorrel Hato, Netherlands international, and Estevao, Brazil international, then it’s not about rotation,” he said.

“They are talented, they are young. When they are young you have to give them chance to make mistakes.

“But when you don’t win games, the problem is rotation.”