This will be interesting to see the lineup we put out. I am pretty sure Estevao will be a sub, as he played virtually the whole game in both Brazil fixtures. Delap, Neto, Garnacho have all been rested and you would expect to start. Enzo, if he has recovered too. I don't mind Estevao being a sub for this, considering we have both Barca and Arsenal coming up after. Garnacho and Neto have been both good recently too. Caicedo played 90 mins in both Ecuador games which is annoying so may be rested too. We literally have a game week in, week out so rotation will be necessary and those who played twice during international break, I reckon will be rested considering the congested fixtures coming up.

Sanchez

James Acheampong Chalobah Hato

Enzo Santos

Neto Pedro Garnacho

Delap

Edited November 20, 2025Nov 20 by STATS

At various different levels the following first team players were on international duty:

Joao Pedro

Andrey Santos

Estevao

Marc Cucurella

Marc Guiu

Filip Jorgensen

Trevor Chalobah

Reece James

Josh Acheampong

Jamie Gittens

Tyrique George

Malo Gusto

Gaga Solnina

Moises Caicedo

Have to see how many come back in need of a rest. Probably most of them, though Maresca cannot really rest all of them as we would have no right back option.

In an ideal world we leave out Joao Pedro, Estevao, Reece, Cucu, Gusto and Caicedo, along with Fofana due to his fitness issues and needing him/all of the above for Barca and Arsenal.

Edited November 20, 2025Nov 20 by axman2526

Estevao and Caicedo shouldn’t be anywhere near our starting line up vs Burnley. Caicedo especially. Two full 90 minutes and one was against 10 men for the most part.

Barca and Arsenal are both beatable at the Bridge and I’m expecting Estevao to get at least 90 minutes over both games.

Enzo, Garnacho and Neto all likely to start due to not being away with their countries. Delap needs minutes.

Sanchez

Gusto Fofana. Josh. Hato

Enzo. Santos

Neto. J Pedro. Garnacho

Delap.

In talking about Palmer’s recently broken toe Maresca admitted that he often hits his own head. Might explain a few things!

Sanchez

James Acheampong Chalobah Cucurella

Santos Enzo

Neto J.Pedro Garnacho

Delap

Vs Barca

Sanchez

Gusto Fofana Chalobah Cucurella

James Caicedo Enzo

Estevao Garnacho

J.Pedro

Early KO up north after international break

A) proper Chelsea easily beat bottom of table promoted team

B) Charity FC lots of toothless possession

Maresca in his presser agrees Malo Gusto is a top player essential to his strategy on pitch 🥹😅😂🤣

I reckon we will win this one 2-0! I'm really optimistic about this one. Cole Palma is now injured though so he will be a big miss.

18 minutes ago, josh31 said:

I reckon we will win this one 2-0! I'm really optimistic about this one. Cole Palma is now injured though so he will be a big miss.

Palmer was never going to play this game so how is he a big miss?

3 hours ago, BS66 said:

Palmer was never going to play this game so how is he a big miss?

Fair point. I can’t help but think when he takes the pitch it ups the game of everyone else. Bit of a star is that lad

Thought about checking Caicedo's stats during the intl break. Full 90 minutes in two meaningless friendlies on a different continent. Right in the middle of the season and before a week packed with an early kick-off away at Burnley and then Barcelona and Arsenal. Unbelievable really...

Match Day!

Come On Chelsea!!

12 hours ago, General said:

Early KO up north after international break

A) proper Chelsea easily beat bottom of table promoted team

B) Charity FC lots of toothless possession

Maresca in his presser agrees Malo Gusto is a top player essential to his strategy on pitch 🥹😅😂🤣

B Charity FC will be in full swing especially for a early KO up north where it’s cold, miserable and probably windy.

Proper Brexit football!!!🤣🤣

4 hours ago, petre ispirescu said:

Thought about checking Caicedo's stats during the intl break. Full 90 minutes in two meaningless friendlies on a different continent. Right in the middle of the season and before a week packed with an early kick-off away at Burnley and then Barcelona and Arsenal. Unbelievable really...

Which I why I detest international breaks. Just get all the matches down in one month and be done with it all.

Not gonna be an easy game, early kick off away game after international break but hopefully we will turn up. We’ve proven we can’t be resting Caicedo as the whole team falls apart without him so he has to be playing. UTC

Confirmed line up :

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James (c), Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Fernandez ; Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Gittens; Delap

Chelsea substitutes: Jorgensen, Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Hato, Caicedo, Estevao, Garnacho, Guiu

1 minute ago, Sexyfootball said:

Confirmed line up :

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James (c), Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Fernandez ; Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Gittens; Delap

Chelsea substitutes: Jorgensen, Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Hato, Caicedo, Estevao, Garnacho, Guiu

Absolutely poor from Coco the clown, TOSIN? GITTENS?

He will have to change it at Halftime

Coward

Garnacho and Estevao should start, is he being told that everyone gets starts

Is Fofana injured again ?

Does Maresca not understand the importance of momentum?

Just now, Sexyfootball said:

Is Fofana injured again ?

Probably.

Ugochukwu must be nailed on for a goal today.

Burnley have Broja on the bench, so injury on international duty obviously not as bad it looked like it might be when he went off !

Maresca never learns, he is disrespecting the opposition again, Liverpool won 1-0 at Burnley with a 90th min penalty after their layer got sent off

2 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Ugochukwu must be nailed on for a goal today.

Burnley have Broja on the bench, so injury on international duty obviously not as bad it looked like it might be when he went off !

Funny thing about Ugochukwu, he has been moved into the “10” behind their CF by Scott Parker. Has 2 league goals, and has been actually decent

Garnacho not getting a start is criminal, Estevao not getting a start is downright incompetent.

Tosin starts which means we’ll concede.

4 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Tosin starts which means we’ll concede.

Hopefully Andrey Santos has his best Chelsea game at DM to date, as we'll need it !