Chelsea Starting XI vs Legia Warsaw: Confirmed team news and predicted lineup | OneFootball

Chelsea Youth Set to Shine as Maresca Rotates for Legia Warsaw Return

Confident advantage fuels rotation strategy

Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge tonight in the Europa Conference League with one foot already in the semi-finals. Enzo Maresca’s side produced an assertive 3-0 victory in Poland last week, which all but settled the quarter-final tie before the second leg even kicks off. It wasn’t just the result that impressed — it was the manner of it. Chelsea looked composed, creative and clinical.

Tyrique George marked the occasion with his first senior goal for the club, a reward for his breakthrough performances this campaign. Noni Madueke’s brace from the bench underlined Chelsea’s attacking depth, while Jadon Sancho’s two assists added the kind of end product Blues fans have been craving from their wide men.

Youthful faces expected to feature

With a commanding aggregate cushion, Maresca is expected to turn to youth once again. George and fellow academy product Josh Acheampong are likely starters, part of a growing Cobham cohort trusted by the head coach.

Filip Jorgensen is set to return in goal, and Benoit Badiashile, Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are also in line for minutes after missing out at the weekend.

Club captain Reece James, who watched Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Ipswich from the bench, may also be eased back into action with a start, given the careful management of his fitness this season.

Photo: IMAGO

There may also be a first start in blue for January arrival Mathis Amougou. The midfielder showed flashes in his substitute appearance last week and will hope to build on that with a full performance at the Bridge. Up front, Shim Mheuka — another Cobham talent — could be handed the number nine role, having impressed in limited minutes on the European stage so far.

Injury picture remains mixed

Chelsea will remain without several senior names. Marc Guiu and Wesley Fofana are both sidelined, although the latter wouldn’t have featured regardless, having not been included in the European squad. Romeo Lavia is back in training, but Maresca is unlikely to rush the Belgian back into match action.

Mykhailo Mudryk is also ruled out, and young forward Omari Kellyman is unavailable, limiting attacking depth — though tonight’s context offers Maresca the chance to test fringe options in a relatively low-risk environment.

Predicted Chelsea XI: Room for experimentation

Maresca has made no secret of his desire to build a system where principles outweigh personnel, and tonight’s fixture may further reflect that philosophy. Expect a familiar shape, even if the faces within it are far from the regular Premier League XI.

Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1):Jorgensen; Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Gusto; James, Dewsbury-Hall; Sancho, Nkunku, George; Mheuka

The result may already feel secured, but for Maresca, tonight remains important — a chance to shape the future of Chelsea through trust in youth and faith in system.