Chelsea travel to the Stadio Olimpico to take on AS Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Blues presently lead Group C with seven points after three games played, and they will be hoping to grab a vital victory to put them on the cusp of last-16 qualification.
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Lineup:
Belgium international Thibaut Courtois has featured in all three Champions League outings, and he is assured of his position in goal. Gary Cahill played no part in the recent 1-0 win over Bournemouth, but he is likely to return to the starting lineup alongside Andreas Christensen and David Luiz in central defence. With Victor Moses still injured, Cesar Azpilicueta could be tasked with the job at right wing-back with Marcos Alonso performing the duties in the opposite direction.
Danny Drinkwater made his Blues debut earlier this month, but he is unlikely to play a significant role in Rome. Antonio Conte will be obliged to choose his general pairing of Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko at the heart of the midfield. The front trio pretty much pick themselves with Eden Hazard and Pedro likely to feature in their preferred left and right wing positions respectively, while Alvaro Morata is certain to get the nod over Michy Batshuayi to lead the line.
Antonio Conte will know the overall importance of the key Champions League fixture, and he is unlikely to experiment with his squad – considering Atletico Madrid are waiting for any slip-ups in third position. The Blues drew 3-3 versus AS Roma during their last meeting earlier this month, and the Italian would take a similar result at the Stadio Olimpico, where the Giallorossi are often difficult to beat.
Chelsea lineup (3-4-2-1) – Thibaut Courtois, Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Pedro, Eden Hazard, Alvaro Morata
Image – Getty
