The Blues are heading to Germany this weekend to play the final bizarre game of a bizarre season – a Champions League second round game that looks like a dead rubber given we’re 3-0 down against Bayern Munich and missing several key players.
The injury crisis, plus the onslaught of games that the majority of the first team have had to play in the last couple of months, means that the club have been forced to reinforce the squad with youngsters promoted from their “B List”.
According to the UEFA official website, that means that Ian Maatsen, Dynel Simeu, Henry Lawrence, Lewis Bate and Armando Broja
Jorginho is suspended, and let’s not forget Billy Gilmour is still out. N’Golo Kante is unlikely to be risked in such a pointless match given his own fitness issues.
Could this all add up for a chance for Lewis Bate to start after an impressive spell in the youth teams?