Chelsea only qualified for the Europa League last season. There is simply no excuse for the Blues not to win it all if they take it seriously.
No one wants to be in the Europa League. No child anywhere in the world grows up dreaming of lifting that trophy. The Europa League is, and always will be, the consolation qualification for failing to make the competition worth dreaming about; the Champions League.
But, it would be a mistake to dismiss the competition entirely. Jose Mourinho likely would not have a job at Manchester United still if he had not won the Europa League. Rafa Benitez would likely not have stayed at the top of Europe for as long as he did without it. Diego Simeone would not have been able to build the juggernaut that is Atletico Madrid without it.
The Europa League is a consolation competition, yes. But it is still worth winning as any trophy is. Trophies breed more trophies after all. And if a club like Chelsea enters the competition as the big fish in a small pond, they must do everything they can to make that pond theirs and only theirs.
That does not mean the Blues should play a full out best XI every match. In fact, the earliest the Blues should even consider doing that should be the knockout stages and only if the opponent commands it. But they also cannot rotate so heavily simply for the sake of rotation. Maurizio Sarri is not a manager who favors full rotation but he also must not get caught in over or under rotating the side.
For the group stage, Sarri is likely to follow his former precedent and rotate anywhere between four and six players. It is important that Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ethan Ampadu, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek number among them every single time. The matches are still winnable with those three in the lineup.
Further down the line that could change. Obviously, unless any of those three truly breakout, Sarri will not want to play them against the likes of RB Leipzig. But that is a determination for later.
For now, Chelsea can win every group stage match with Sarri’s typical rotation. If they find they are not advancing, that should change to ensure continuation in the competition. Chelsea, before the Champions League third place finishers drop, is the favorite to win the competition. The Blues must do their due diligence to continue on.
It could also be Sarri’s best chance at silverware his season. The Premier League is a possibility but a long shot. The League and FA Cups really come down to luck of the draw and good day after good day. But Europa League is there for the taking right now. Chelsea has a clear path at least to the round of 16. Even then, bar any massive surprise in the Champions League, they should have a clear route to the final.
Chelsea has won the competition before under different circumstances. It may not be the trophy players want but it is a trophy worth having. The Blues should always play for all available silverware and this season their best bet is the Europa League.