Chelsea predicted line-up vs. Atalanta: Four changes expected as Delap faces fresh lay-offplaceholder image
Chelsea predicted line-up vs. Atalanta: Four changes expected as Delap faces fresh lay-off | Getty Images
The latest Chelsea team news and predicted line-up ahead of their Champions League clash with Atalanta.
Chelsea are back in Champions League action this Tuesday evening when they make the trip to Bergamo to take on Atalanta – but Enzo Maresca head to his homeland with a potentially significant new selection headache hanging over his head.
Summer signing Liam Delap sustained what may prove to be his second serious injury of the season during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, and seems likely to be one of at least five first-team players who are unavailable for the midweek match in Italy.
Ahead of what could prove to be a pivotal match in the league stage of the Champions League, we’ve collected all of the latest Chelsea team news and injury updates, and made our prediction for Maresca’s likely starting XI.
How bad is Liam Delap’s injury for Chelsea?
Striker Liam Delap, who has only recently returned from a serious knee injury, was taken off in evident pain after landing awkwardly on his shoulder following a challenge at a set-piece situation – and it looks like he the former Ipswich Town forward is set for another spell on the sidelines.
Maresca told the press after the match that “[Delap] was already out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad.” Chelsea also released a club statement after the Bournemouth match which stated that the severity of the injury would be assessed over the coming days.
While there is no return date set as yet, it seems exceptionally unlikely that Delap is available to face an Atalanta side who are struggling domestically but who, like Chelsea, have 10 points from their first five Champions League games.
Chelsea are also yet to provide an indication of when midfielder Roméo Lavia might return from his latest fitness issue, a thigh injury, with Maresca telling the media that he didn’t yet know whether it was a long or short-term problem. Levi Colwill is the other known long-term absentee, with his ruptured ACL likely to keep him out for the season.
Will Cole Palmer or Moisés Caicedo start against Atalanta?
The best new Chelsea fans have received in recent weeks is that Cole Palmer has returned to fitness, and he made his first start since recovering from groin and toe problems against Bournemouth, lasting nearly an hour before he was replaced by João Pedro.
Palmer appears to have come through his comeback unscathed and may start again against Atalanta, but the club have indicated that they plan to take a cautious approach and there is a good chance he is restricted to the bench on this occasion. Chelsea will at least be able to call upon Moisés Caicedo, whose three-match ban for a recent red card still has one game left to run but does not apply to European competitions.
Chelsea will also be without young midfielder Dário Essugo – the Portuguse midfielder is believed to be slightly ahead of schedule in his recovers from a thigh injury, but Maresca has told the press that he will not feature in the next three games at least. A Christmas comeback appears to be on the cards.
The only other player who is known to be unavailable for Tuesday’s match is Mykhaylo Mudryk, who remains suspended indefinitely due to alleged doping violations, while João Pedro and Andrey Santos will be banned for one continental game if they collect a booking in Bergamo.
Chelsea predicted XI vs. Atalanta: Sánchez; Cucurella, Chalobah, Fofana, James; Caicedo, Gusto, Fernández; Gittens, Estevão, João Pedro.
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