After securing a 2-1 aggregate advantage on the road in the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup, Chelsea head home to host FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Conference League return fixture.
It was a grind the whole way through as Copenhagen managed to defend in an organized manner and prove dangerous on the counter, but the Blues still capitalised on a few defensive miscues to grab quality second-half goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernandez.
Chelsea have their deficiencies, which were on display throughout the first leg, but they are also managing to grind out results in a positive way when they are short of their best. They have won three straight games across all competitions, topping relegation-threatened Leicester City 1-0 over the weekend to go fourth in the Premier League table.
WATCH: UEFA Champions League with a FREE trial of Paramount+ in USA | A new era of UEFA Champions League in Australia, only on Stan Sport
Copenhagen, meanwhile, have failed to win any of their past three games, sandwiching the first leg defeat to Chelsea with a pair of league draws which have seen them cede the top spot in the standings to FC Midtjylland.
The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides.
Chelsea vs. Copenhagen lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
Chelsea are thin in the attacking third, with Nicolas Jackson still out injured and Marc Guiu yet to return from his hamstring injury. Guiu is expected back soon, but Maresca confirmed he would not return for this game. Noni Madueke is also sidelined with a hamstring issue, leaving the front line looking bleak.
Maresca said Cole Palmer and Reece James would also be assessed after missing training early in the week, as would Christopher Nkunku, who has struggled mightily filling in up front.
Young guns Shumaira Mheuka and Tyrique George could get another run-out as they did in the first leg. If Mheuka is again deployed up front, Nkunku would be moved out wide, assuming he is fit to start.
Malo Gusto is out, the full-back yet to recover after limping off in the first leg.
Chelsea predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Sanchez (GK) — Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile, Cucurella — Caicedo, Fernandez — George, Palmer, Nkunku — Mheuka
Injured: Jackson (hamstring), Madueke (hamstring), Gusto (knock), Guiu (hamstring), Palmer, Nkunku, James (all doubts with illness)
Suspended: None
MORE: 2024/25 Premier League top goal scorers list | Latest Champions League top goal scorer list
Lukas Lerager and Oliver Hojer missed the first leg through injury, as did attacking duo Andreas Cornelius and Roony Bardghji, and none of them returned for Copenhagen’s weekend league match, so it’s likely that they will remain absent.
Former Southampton player Mohamed Elyounoussi was not in the squad for the first leg, but he came off the bench over the weekend and could factor into the starting XI. Thomas Delaney missed the weekend match due to illness, so he remains a doubt.
Manager Jacob Neestrup will have to decide to stick with 18-year-old Amin Chiakha up front after he struggled in the first leg, or switch back to Magnus Mattsson.
Copenhagen predicted lineup (5-4-1, right to left): Ramaj (GK) — Gocholeishvili, Garananga, Pereira, Hatzidiakos, Meling — Claesson, Clem, Froholdt, Elyounoussi — Mattsson
Injured: Lerager, Hojer, Cornelius, Bardghji, Delaney (illness)
Suspended: None
Chelsea vs. Copenhagen live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this UEFA Europa Conference League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
