In the backline, Trevoh Chalobah is tipped to earn a recall into the XI with Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta the other options in the centre-back role.
Kai Havertz could give way for the promising forward Armando Broja to lead the line for Chelsea up top on the pitch with the latter set to have Raheem Sterling and Hakim Ziyech for company.
Chelsea will kick off the 2022-23 Champions League campaign when they make a trip to Craotia to take on Dinamo Zagreb.
While Thomas Tuchel’s side secured their spot in this group stages through the Premier League, the hosts came through three qualifying rounds to book their place among European football’s elite.
Saturday’s controversial 2-1 victory over West Ham United has left Chelsea one point above Liverpool and just four points behind a Manchester City side who are supposed to conquer all this season.
The Blues have now conceded nine goals in five matches, and Tuchel needs to decide whether he is going to operate with a back three or four over the coming weeks, with the Blues having taken 10 points from six matches.
In attack, Tuchel’s side have generally failed to show a clinical touch, with the German left to hope that Kai Havertz’s first goal of the season is the end of his ineffective showings in the final third.
Meanwhile, Dinamo Zagreb are considered underdogs of the gruop, potentially because they have had to progress past Shkupi, Ludogorets Razgrad and Bodo/Glimt to reach the group stages for the first time since 2019-20.
However, this is a club that reached the 2020-21 Europa League quarter-finals and recorded wins over West Ham United and Sevilla in last year’s tournament.
22 points and 27 goals have also come from their opening eight league matches, and Ante Cacic and his side will fancy the chance to pull off the upset against Premier League opposition.
However, Chelsea will be encouraged by their hosts failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 games, dating back to December’s defeat at Stadion Maksimir. These two clubs will be meeting for the first time in their histroy with the Blues having never faced Croatian opposition in a competitive game.
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