Chelsea will be looking to keep up there 100% record in the Conference League when they take on Legia Warsaw in the quarter-final first leg.
Enzo Maresca has a number of decisions to make over his squad for the trip to Poland, with a heap of important games to come in the Premier League.
It is realistic to expect a number of fringe players will get their chance to impress, and Tyrique George should be handed a start after being left to wait for his first in the Premier League.
The likes of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson could be involved after starting the last league game against Brentford from the bench.
Legia Warsaw manager speaks about Todd Boehly’s Chelsea ‘project’
The Blues’ opponents currently find themselves fifth in their respective league, however are widely known as one of the biggest clubs in Poland.
Their manager, Goncalo Feio, has been speaking ahead of the game about the challenge that faces them in the Blues.
He was also speaking about Maresca, and told the Legia website that he is part of a project being run by Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge that is not finished yet.
“This match is different from many matches we play. In Legia, we start every match with a defeat. That’s Legia. A 0-0 result never satisfies us. A much greater burden of responsibility rests on our side. These are the costs of representing the biggest club in the country.
“Tomorrow is a bit different. Chelsea are the favourites of the entire competition. Chelsea are one of the best teams in the world. The rivals are fighting to be in the Champions League. That’s where these players, this staff belong.
“We have the responsibility to fight for ourselves, for the club, for our dreams. We want to allow ourselves to have this dream. The responsibility for the result, for winning the match, rests on Chelsea. Such a situation happens to us very rarely. This is something different.
“I am not the right person to judge coach Maresca. Everyone in the world knows this club. Jose Mourinho worked there, many Portuguese players played for this club. I know what kind of coaches worked there.
“Chelsea is a project that is developing, it is not a finished work. The rivals intend to win all the matches in Europe and the Premier League. I watched the coach of our rivals when he was the coach of Leicester during the match with Birmingham. I noticed a few things, especially when it comes to solutions in attack.
“Coach Maresca is known to our sporting director Michał Żewłakow, as well as Paweł Wszołek, who worked with the Chelsea coach at Sampdoria Genoa. I am looking forward to this meeting, shaking hands with the Chelsea coach and good, sporting competition.”
Maresca not convincing everyone in charge of Chelsea
It is believed the manager will remain at the club no matter if they qualify for Champions League this season, with Maresca seen as ‘untouchable’ at Chelsea.
Chelsea fans were heard negatively chanting at Maresca’s style of play in their last game against Brentford, with them wanting to see more going forwards from their side.
Paul Merson also is concerned by Maresca given the fact the Blues are now miles away from the Premier League title race.
Completing Chelsea’s European trophy haul would no doubt be something to be proud of while in charge of the club, and is a very realistic achievement for Maresca in his first campaign as a top-flight English club manager.
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