Chelsea vs Real Betis – Team News: Maresca makes risky defensive changes | OneFootball

Chelsea face Real Betis In Wroclaw in just over an hour in the Conference League final, and the teams are in!

We expected some changes to the side that beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday, but probably not quite as many as Enzo Maresca has made.

Some were already signalled in advance by the Chelsea boss. He told everyone at the press conference last week that cup keeper Filip Jorgensen would play in goal today because it would be “unfair” to leave him out, and that’s just what he’s done.

Ahead of him, it’s a back line that’s very different to the one that did so well at the City Ground at the weekend. Malo Gusto is in for Reece James at right back, and in the middle Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill are replaced by Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile. Marc Cucurella plays at left back, as usual.

Colwill and Chalobah has been a successful partnership, as has Colwill and Tosin. We know Badiashile has played a lot on the way to this final, but it still seems a risk to bring him in here for such an important game.

In the midfield, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez form their usual platform, with Cole Palmer playing in the hole ahead of them.

Nicolas Jackson returns from suspension to lead the line, with Pedro Neto playing out wide on one side with Noni Madueke on the other in support.

Here are the full team line-ups for Real Betis vs Chelsea (kick off at 20:00 GMT)

CHELSEA:

Chelsea’s team for the Conference League final.

Maresca ready for first trophy as Chelsea manager

We expected those tweaks, apart from the one that sees the central defenders changed. We still should have more than enough firepower to see off Betis, but any mistakes at the back will be twice as frustrating now.

Let’s go win this trophy!