Chelsea will play Gent at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, October 3, in their first match of the Europa Conference League season. After starting the season on the right foot, the blues They will surely be favorites to win the competition in May and, in doing so, will become the first club to win all three UEFA club competitions at least once.
Here's a look at the team's possible lineup as they begin their search for another piece of silverware.
goalkeeper – Robert Sánchez will be benched in favor of backup option Filip Jorgensen. The Danish goalkeeper will be between the posts against Gent and possibly for much of the Europa Conference League campaign.
Defenders – There could be four changes to the defense, with the entire unit leaving last weekend's clash against Brighton. Renato Veiga could start at right back for Chelsea and Axel Disasi could have a turn on the left side.
Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo are set to replace Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana at the heart of the back four.
Neto, Mudryk and Félix will be present
Midfielders – Kieran Dewsbury-Hall could start in Chelsea's double pivot. Enzo Maresca will have to choose the second option between Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, although the former could get the nod after being taken off in the last 10 minutes of Chelsea's victory over Brighton.
Joao Felix is likely to start as an attacking midfielder just behind the striker and Cole Palmer will get a well-deserved rest. Chelsea £54m summer signing Pedro Neto and Mykhaylo Mudryk could be the right and left wingers, respectively.
Forward – Nicolas Jackson will be rested with the arrival of Christopher Nkunku. Having scored a hat-trick against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in his previous start, the Frenchman will look to repeat the feat as he hopes to gain more prominence in Maresca's plans.
This is what Chelsea are expected to look like on paper.
