Enzo Maresca has gone strong with his squad to face Qarabag in the Champions League tonight, with academy youngsters left out.
The likes of Reggie Walsh, Shim Mheuka and Genesis Antwi have all been semi-regulars inclusions in the Blues’ European squads over the past two years, being named in the squad and occasionally handed minutes in the Conference League last season and Champions League this term.
But the Chelsea head coach has opted against including the brightest players from the club’s academy for the five-and-a-half-hour flight to Baku to take on Qarabag in the league phase today.
Instead, he has named a strong squad full of his most experienced first-team players, and has not risked resting any of the club’s biggest names.
Portuguese winger Pedro Neto was not part of the travelling squad due to a “small [injury] issue” but is expected back by the weekend when Chelsea host his former club Wolves at Stamford Bridge.
There remains no Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile or Dario Essugo due to longer-term injuries.
Chelsea squad vs Qarabag in full
Goalkeepers: Filip Jorgensen, Max Merrick, Robert Sanchez
Defenders: Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Reece James
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Midfielders: Facundo Buonanotte, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos
Forwards: Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrique George, Jamie Gittens, Marc Guiu, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian