Full Chelsea squad for Dinamo Zagreb revealed as Tuchel faces goalkeepers decision
The Champions League is back again for another season and campaign kicks off with a trip to Croatia, facing Dinamo Zagreb in the capital city, needing victory to get the competition off to the perfect start. Zagreb were drawn from pot four, meaning they are statistically the weakest of the sides in the group that the Blues can face.
The German coach saw his team play far from their best, though substitute Ben Chilwell – and a slice of luck – changed the game to earn a 2-1 win in the Premier League. With just two days in between as well as travel, rotation may be the preferred option when it comes to the starting team.
However, one decision may be a mixture of forced through injury or even poor form. That is the position of starting goalkeeper, with Edouard Mendy struggling in recent weeks to recapture his best performances in a Chelsea shirt, while Tuchel claimed he had hurt his shoulder in a collision with Jarrod Bowen that sparked VAR outrage for disallowing a late West Ham goal.
That could leave a chance for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has struggled for game time in recent months and failed to secure a move away from Stamford Bridge. When asked if he was ready to play if called upon, the manager said: “He checked his options [in the summer] which we were aware of, they were not satisfying for him or for us, so he stayed. I am very happy about that.
“I was always very clear with him that I wanted him to stay. And from my point of view, he’s absolutely ready to play. It’s on us if we give him the chance or not but he’s 100% ready given how he behaves and how trains.”
However, here’s a look at the squad Tuchel has at his disposal for when his side face Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli.
Defenders: Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Kalidou Koulibaly, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana.
Midfielders: Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Denis Zakaria, Conor Gallagher, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Forwards: Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,