A 20-year-old Chelsea midfielder is in contention to feature in the UEFA Conference League quarter-final, having recently taken part in training sessions under Enzo Maresca
Chelsea are currently getting ready to make a relatively short trip within Poland as they prepare to take on Legia Warsaw in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final match.
With their Premier League schedule becoming increasingly packed and demanding, Chelsea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca, is once again faced with a tough decision: should he use his strongest starting eleven or take the opportunity to give valuable match time to some of the club’s younger players and those who typically don’t see much action? It’s common for managers to use European competitions like the Conference League as a stage to help less experienced or fringe players gain confidence and show their potential on a bigger stage.
Recently, young talent Shumaira Mheuka made history by becoming the youngest player ever to start a European match for Chelsea, during their encounter with FC Copenhagen. Although his performance in that match was relatively subdued, the fact that he wasn’t included in the squad for a recent U21 game hints that he may once again be part of the travelling team for this upcoming fixture.
Another promising young player, striker Samuel Rak-Sakyi, was seen training alongside the senior squad before the team’s departure. The 20-year-old has already made an appearance in the Conference League earlier this season, starting in a match played in harsh, cold conditions against Astana—a game in which many of Chelsea’s more experienced first-team regulars were given a reponse.
