Chelsea XI vs Gent: Starting lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest for Conference League game today | OneFootball

Blues make plenty of changes as expected

Chelsea hand starts to both Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku in attack for tonight’s Conference League clash with Gent.

The Blues, having come through a play-off tie against Swiss outfit Servette, begin their group stage campaign against the Belgian side at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night and are the bookies’ favourites to win the whole competition.

Chelsea are without four-goal hero Cole Palmer, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia, who were all omitted from the squad submitted to UEFA for the group stage.

Meanwhile, Mudryk has only made one start in the Premier League so far this season, but Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted he and others can force their way into his starting XI for Premier League games if they perform well in Europe.

“Hopefully he can do a good game”, Maresca said of Mudryk. “But it’s not just Misha, also Christopher Nkunku. At the moment he’s not starting in the Premier League.

Asked whether he regrets not including Chilwell in his Conference League squad to offer depth at full-back, Maresca asserted: “No.”

Opportunity knocks: Enzo Maresca hands Mykhailo Mudryk another Chelsea chance

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He said of his squad ahead of facing Gent: “They are all available, [apart from] the guys that are not in the squad and Reece [James]. They are all available.”

Captain James is a long-term absentee with a hamstring injury, as is youngster Omari Kellyman.

Starting XI: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga, Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Felix, Mudryk, Nkunku

Subs: Sanchez, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Dyer, George, Madueke, Guiu

Time and date: 8pm BST on Thursday October 3, 2024

Venue: Stamford Bridge

TV channel: TNT Sports