Chelsea return to Europe in the Conference League on Thursday with a match against Belgian club Gent at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are strong favourites to win Uefa’s third-tier competition – having not played in Europe whatsoever last season.
Asked whether they were aware Chelsea could become the first team in Europe to add a Conference League title to previous Champions League and Europa League successes, boss Enzo Maresca said: “We are. But we are happy and excited about tomorrow’s game.”
Defender Reece James remains the only player out injured as the Italian manager is expected to make a large number of changes, having changed 10 players against Brighton and 11 the week before against Barrow.
Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana and Ben Chilwell were left out of the west Londoners’ Conference League squad, with Maresca keen to rotate in the various competitions after being left with 29 senior players after another busy summer transfer window.
Palmer has become the club’s star player and scored four goals against Brighton, but his absence could present an opportunity to multiple players – including Mykhailo Mudryk.
“No. It is not about reliance [on Palmer],” Maresca added. “We have already played some games without Cole. For sure, for us or any team in the world, Cole is an extra, something that you need. But we also need to protect some players. They need that.
He added on Mudryk: “I think Misha did very well against Barrow. When you come on, like he did the other day, it is never easy but I think he did okay. Hopefully he can do a good game tomorrow.
“It’s not just about Misha. We can say exactly the same about Christopher Nkunku. We signed him like a big player. In this moment he is not playing in the Premier League but in football, things change quick. So for Misha, for Christo, for all the players not starting in the Premier League, that does not mean they are not going to start the next game – or in two games.
“I don’t think with Misha it is a lack of confidence. It’s Misha. He needs to improve some things like the rest, but we are happy with the way he is working.”
When pressed on whether he has regrets about not picking Chilwell, who has made just one substitute appearance against Barrow in the Carabao Cup, Maresca simply replied: “No.”
Source: BBC
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