Midfield and Wingbacks
Reece James (No. 24), RWB, England
The captain will be happy to get more minutes under his belt. His strength, leadership, and reading of the game will be important. While this competition often involves generally inferior opponents, it would be unwise for any player to underestimate the opposition’s ability to put up a fight.
Moises Caicedo (No. 25), CM, Ecuador
Caicedo has been Chelsea's best chance at controlling the game from midfield. He has been by far the Blues’ best outfielder defensively, having led not just his team but the entire league in tackles plus interceptions. He has not featured in any UECL game so far, which is smart because he's one of the few players Maresca needs fresh for league games, but now he's needed in the Conference League.
Enzo Fernandez (No. 8), CM, Argentina
Fernandez played well in his last game, though the fact that it was against Southampton shouldn't be overlooked. He does have a tendency to push forward and operate more in the final third nowadays, but this should be less of an issue against this opponent. Chelsea simply doesn't have many central midfielders available, and given that this is a European knockout game, Maresca will likely be reluctant to go with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Marc Cucurella (No. 3), LWB, Spain
Cucurella scored in Chelsea's last game and will likely still be riding high, given that he doesn't score often. He has admitted that it would be a huge disappointment if the Blues don't win, considering the club's status and the level of competition in the Conference League. He's not wrong.