Thomas Tuchel has made six changes to his starting XI for Chelsea's Champions League group stage opener against Dinamo Zagreb this evening, the most notable of which are Kepa Arrizabalaga returning in goal and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being handed his debut in the attack.
The Blues are likely to be confident of getting their European campaign off to a winning start in Croatia, but Tuchel and his players will be aware that Premier League opposition – namely Tottenham Hotspur – have been impressively beaten at the Stadion Maksimir in recent years.
"They are a team used to winning, they are a winning team," Tuchel said yesterday at his pre-match press conference. "They are used to being on the top; that shapes a certain mentality. They made it through qualification which is never easy and they deserve to be here. I’m pretty sure they plan to play a very technical, emotional game against us.
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"They have individual quality, as always, like every [past] team of Dinamo Zagreb and any Croatian team. They have a lot of individual quality – upfront they have speed and dribbling on the wings. They will use the role as an underdog to over-perform and make us underperform. This will be their plan. We are aware of that."
Tuchel has shown throughout his time in charge at Stamford Bridge that when it comes to high-profile European games, he values experience. And that is largely reflected in the side he has picked to try and overcome Dinamo tonight.
However, the Chelsea head coach has made a bold choice in goal, with Kepa returning to the starting XI ahead of Edouard Mendy, who has struggled to produce his best form during the early weeks of the campaign. "He [Kepa] is absolutely ready to play," Tuchel said on Saturday. "It's on us if we give him the chance or not but he's 100% ready given how he behaves and how trains."
Thiago Silva didn't travel with the squad to Zagreb yesterday; the 37-year-old was allowed to remain at Chelsea's training base in Cobham and continue recovery work ahead of the Premier League clash against Fulham on Saturday. That has resulted in a change in the backline.
Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta returns to the starting XI and is expected to be deployed on the right of the back three. Summer signing Wesley Fofana will move to the middle as a result, with fellow new recruit Kalidou Koulibaly keeping his spot as the left centre-back.
Reece James, who signed a new six-year deal with Chelsea this week, continues at right wing-back. On the opposite flank, Ben Chilwell makes his first start since the opening fixture of the season at Everton. The England international has had to remain patient but his goal and assist against West Ham United on Saturday have ensured his return.
Mason Mount is back in the side and is set to feature in a midfield role in Zagreb, where the England international will be supported by Mateo Kovacic. It's a big night for the Croatian, who began his career at Dinamo and will have a large number of family and friends present at the game.
"My family are very excited, maybe more excited than me. A lot of asking for tickets but I am glad," Kovacic said ahead of the game. "It is a really good feeling to be in Zagreb, to see people I haven't seen in a long time. I only now realise how long a time it has been. I am looking forward to the match in a full stadium. I am a Dinamo fan, but now I am on the opposite side."
Tuchel had a big decision to make as to how to set up his attack – and who the frontline would consist of. That he has gone with Raheem Sterling is no surprise given the England international has been Chelsea's most decisive attacking player during the early weeks of the season.
There were plenty of players in contention for the other spots: Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Armando Broja, and Aubameyang. That Tuchel has gone with the experience of the latter, who arrived on deadline day from Barcelona, is no great surprise.
"He’s very ambitious, very focused," Tuchel said of Aubameyang. "He’s hungry to play for us and prove a point. That’s why he’s here, that’s what we felt from the first moment. He is happily invited to prove a point."
The attack is completed with the inclusion of Kai Havertz. The German forward got his campaign up and running with a goal against West Ham at the weekend and will be looking to build momentum ahead of an intense run of fixtures for the Blues.
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Fofana, Koulibaly; James, Mount, Kovacic, Chilwell; Havertz, Aubameyang, Sterling
Chelsea substitutes: Mendy, Bettinelli, Chalobah, Cucurella, Jorginho,Loftus-Cheek, Gallagher, Zakaria, Chukwuemeka, Ziyech, Pulisic, Broja
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