Chelsea welcomes Copenhagen to Stamford Bridge on Thursday for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League Round of 16 tie. Having secured a victory in the first leg, the Blues will be hopeful of advancing to the quarter-finals with another positive result. Here are the key talking points ahead of the match.
1. Injury Concerns
The Blues have several players sidelined due to injury. Among those who started last week, captain Reece James, Cole Palmer, and Christopher Nkunku are all doubtful for the match, having trained for only a day, as per Enzo Maresca.
In addition to those concerns, Chelsea will be without Malo Gusto, who was forced off in the first half in Denmark. Long-term absentees Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, and Marc Guiu remain unavailable. While Romeo Lavia is fit, he is not registered in the Conference League squad, making him ineligible for selection.
The decision to loan out several players in the winter transfer window has left the squad stretched amid injuries and workload concerns. It was a baffling decision at the time, and it remains so now. Any further injuries to the remaining fit players could have a significant impact on Chelsea’s season.