Chelsea Starting XI vs Ajax: Predicted Lineup and Confirmed Team News | OneFootball

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Ajax as Fernandez Faces Late Fitness Test in Champions League

Chelsea return to Champions League action tonight against Ajax, searching for rhythm and authority in a European campaign that has flickered but not yet burned brightly. Enzo Maresca’s side sit mid-group, their form oscillating between control and chaos, and much of that has been down to inconsistency in personnel.

Fernandez Fitness in Focus

Midfield anchor Enzo Fernandez could be passed fit after a minor knee issue that saw him withdraw from international duty and miss the 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. His availability remains uncertain, with Maresca offering measured optimism in his pre-match comments.

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“Enzo took part in the session yesterday. We have one more session this afternoon,” Maresca said. “We will see what we decide with him tomorrow. But we said before [that] it was not something we have to be worried about. It was just to try to protect Enzo.”

If Fernandez is cleared, he would likely reclaim his place in the double pivot alongside either Romeo Lavia or Moises Caicedo. Maresca confirmed that both midfielders remain short of full fitness, noting that he rotated them at half-time against Forest to manage their workloads.

Options in Attack and Midfield

With Joao Pedro suspended following his red card in the narrow win over Benfica, the forward line could see another shuffle. Marc Guiu, recalled from his loan spell at Sunderland, is expected to lead the line after a lively substitute appearance last weekend. His movement and energy stretched the opposition defence in a way Chelsea have often lacked this season.

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Maresca may also revisit his tactical experiment of deploying Malo Gusto in midfield, a role the right-back handled confidently against Liverpool before the international break. With Gusto suspended for the upcoming Premier League fixture against Sunderland, his inclusion tonight feels almost inevitable.

Predicted Chelsea Lineup vs Ajax

Chelsea are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1: Sanchez; Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Estevao, Gittens; Guiu.

Palmer, Colwill, Badiashile, Delap and Essugo remain unavailable through injury, while Joao Pedro is suspended. Fernandez’s participation will be decided late, though his recovery offers a flicker of encouragement for a Chelsea side in need of stability and control in Europe.