Chelsea FC take on Juventus tonight in what is certainly the second most compelling and enthralling match of this UCL group stage matchday. (Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain is tops of course).
The Blues will do so without the services of key players such as Mason Mount (injured on the weekend), N’Golo Kante (tested positive for covid-19), Christian Pulisic (return timetable delayed again) and Reece James (also hurt on the weekend in the loss to Manchester City).
Here is who IS in the squad, the starting XI, and the reserves:
Up the Chels! ?
@ParimatchGlobal | #JUVCHE pic.twitter.com/XhcTRQ7aW2
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 29, 2021
That said, it’s still a very strong squad for Chelsea here- lots of talent and depth in this team. And they’ll need to bring it here, as Juve are always a very strong side. Additionally, it’s likely that at least half of the four players we mentioned above won’t be available versus Southampton on the weekend.
Pulisic was not recalled to the United States Men’s National Team for the upcoming international break, so it’s safe to say he won’t be available on the weekend. And due to covid protocols, Kante won’t be either.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
He co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.