Chelsea predicted XI vs Juventus: The 3-4-2-1 is now well baked
Chelsea faces a Juventus side that has already qualified for the Round of 16 by taking 12 points from an available 12 throughout the first four fixtures. The Blues will secure a Round of 16 spot with a non-loss against the Old Lady. Chelsea lost the reverse fixture of this match, and it’d have to win this game if it wants any chance at topping the Group H table come December. Thomas Tuchel has several key players back in training, but they have yet to feature in matches. That will likely continue until they get substitute appearances.
Chelsea dispatched Leicester City in a 3-0 away win with deadly precision on Saturday, so who does Tuchel give the go-ahead to against the Italian giants on Tuesday?
Edouard Mendy (No. 16) Goalkeeper, Senegal
Edouard Mendy made a couple of key reaction saves that would have gone in if he was slightly less switched on. Leicester had three shots on target, albeit from a comfortable (for the Blues) distance out, but Mendy still deserves credit because a long shot was Chelsea’s undoing in the FA Cup final against this same opponent. At an 89-percent save percentage in the Premier League, Mendy leads all all goalkeepers. He was this solid when Chelsea was not conceding as many shots on target, he’s still this solid now.
Trevoh Chalobah (No. 14) Right centerback, England
The only centerback who has an argument to be playing better than Trevoh Chalobah right now at Chelsea is Thiago Silva. Chalobah is incredibly consistent for a player who stepped into the first team this season. He leads the Blues’ defenders in long ball accuracy (62 percent) in the Premier League. Chalobah is becoming a key man in the Chelsea defense, as he’s beginning to make himself undroppable.
Andreas Christensen (No. 4) Centerback, Denmark
Andreas Christensen has been as solid as the Chelsea defense this season. It is testament to Tuchel that he can rotate in that back line and the overall level doesn’t drop. That is also testament to the players. An indication that Christensen was being lined up to start was the fact the he didn’t play against Leicester. Christensen has kept three clean sheets in the Champions League out of four games—that’s very good.
Antonio Rudiger (No. 2) Left centerback, Germany
For everything the German does, many say that is why he should be given what he wants. The former VfB Stuttgart man definitely deserves a pay raise. However, a 100-percent raise is something that would make any board hesitate. Antonio Rudiger has been very good, leading the team in long ball accuracy and volume in the Champions League. He also leads the centerbacks in progressive passes per 90 and progressive carries per 90 this season. He’s extremely crucial to how Chelsea plays and it would be good if the Blues can get him to put pen to paper.