Cole Palmer could play in the Conference League for the first time since August tonight as Chelsea face FC Copenhagen away in their last-16 first leg, with Robert Sanchez set to start in goal.
Sanchez was Maresca’s Premier League No1 during the first half of the season and did not play a minute during the group stage of this competition, but has since lost his place to Filip Jorgensen following a poor run of form.
“Robert starts tomorrow, yes,” Maresca confirmed at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “Tomorrow he is going to play and we'll see. I said a few times already about Robert, it's a matter to give him different kind of games to try and help him. This is the reason why."
Palmer, meanwhile, is available for the first time since the qualifying round, having been left out of Chelsea’s group stage squad in the Conference League to manage his workload.
“We can change players in the squad, so we decided to add some, for instance we added Cole for the final part of the season,” Maresca said. “For sure, if he is in the squad, he can play minutes, no doubt.”
Maresca often left key players in London during the group stage but has named his strongest available travelling squad, with 21 players heading to Denmark.
It includes academy graduates Shim Mhueka, Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George, as well as the fit-again Benoit Badiashile. Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Noni Madueke and Romeo Lavia remain long-term absentees.
Wesley Fofana returned to the matchday squad for Chelsea’s win over Southampton at the end of last month but will have to wait to make his injury comeback.
The centre-back is ineligible having been left out of the Blues’s squad for the league phase and then omitted again off a list of the maximum three mid-season additions ahead of the knockout stage. As well as Palmer, Trevoh Chalobah and January signing Mathis Amougou were added to Maresca’s squad.
Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall; Sancho, Palmer, George; Nkunku
Injured: Guiu, Jackson, Madueke, Lavia, Kellyman
Unavailable: Mudryk, Fofana
Time and date: 5.45pm GMT on Thursday March 6, 2025
Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen
TV channel and live stream: TNT Sports
