Enzo Fernandez returns to the Chelsea midfield as one of 11 changes to the Blues starting XI for this evening’s Conference League clash with Panathinaikos.

With this season’s European campaign beginning with a victory over Gent at Stamford Bridge, Enzo Maresca’s side are looking to make it back-to-back victories in the league phase tonight in Athens.

As has become customary this term, the Chelsea head coach has made wholesale changes to the starting XI that began our Premier League outing at Liverpool on Sunday.

Filip Jorgensen, as confirmed yesterday by Maresca in his pre-match press conference, returns in goal for the Blues and will be protected by a back four that consists of Marc Cucurella, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Renato Veiga.

With Romeo Lavia not included in our Conference League squad for the league phase and Moises Caicedo omitted from the travelling squad, changes to the Chelsea midfield were inevitable.


Fernandez returns and captains the side having appeared off the substitutes' bench against Liverpool while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall partners the Argentine.

Pedro Neto is handed a start and is expected to be deployed off the right flank. Joao Felix should occupy the No.10 role while Mykhailo Mudryk is set to play off the left flank. Christopher Nkunku will lead the Blues attack once more on the European stage.

There are two new names among the Chelsea substitutes, with Under-21s midfielder Sam Rak-Sakyi and 17-year-old striker Shim Mhueka included in a senior matchday squad for the first time.

Chelsea: Jorgensen; Cucurella, Disasi, Badiashile, Veiga; Enzo, Dewsbury-Hall; Neto, Felix, Mudryk; Nkunku

Chelsea substitutes: Sanchez, Bergstrom, Tosin, Casadei, Chukwuemeka, Rak-Sakyi, Madueke, Sancho, George, Guiu, Mheuka