With a spot in next year’s UEFA Champions League on the line, Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest in their final Premier League game of the season on May 25.
Despite the Blues edging out a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their penultimate game of the campaign, they need a win in Nottingham to guarantee a place in the 2025/26 UCL.
Ahead of the trip to the East Midlands, Enzo Maresca has some key selection calls to make, including who to play in attack.
Chelsea have been left to play the last two games of the season without first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson as the Senegal international serves a suspension.
However, Maresca has received a double injury boost elsewhere in his squad, which could help him solve the striker situation
According to reports from the Evening Standard, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu could return in time for the trip to the City Ground.
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Spanish forward Guiu has not featured since the start of February and Nkunku has not been called on for Chelsea’s last five Premier League games.
Speaking after the United win, Maresca hinted teenager Tyrique George could once again feature as a false nine against Forest, despite it being the youngster’s first Premier League start.
With the physical challenge posed by Forest’s two center-backs, a move to bring in Guiu or Nkunku could be the way to go, and Maresca will have time to assess his next move.
Chelsea will learn their UCL fate next weekend, but whatever happens, they will be playing European football in 2025/26.
They could slip into the Conference League place, if results go against them on the final day, but they could subsequently be elevated into the Europa League – if they beat Real Betis in this season’s Conference League final on May 28.
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