Chelsea Prepares for Carabao Cup Clash Against Cardiff City
Chelsea is gearing up for a critical Carabao Cup quarter-final clash against Cardiff City on Tuesday. However, they will be without key players Cole Palmer and Marc Cucurella.
Chelsea’s Injury and Suspension Woes
Cole Palmer is sidelined due to a groin injury. He will be rested to avoid overexertion, as he cannot participate in two matches within the same week. Marc Cucurella faces suspension after receiving two yellow cards in the tournament, ending a streak of 11 consecutive starts for him.
Defender Jorrel Hato is likely to fill the gap in the lineup. He has not played in six weeks following his struggles against Qarabag in the Champions League. Meanwhile, midfielder Moises Caicedo is set to rejoin the squad after serving a three-match suspension. Coach Maresca confirmed his return, stating, “He is available, can play and is finally back.”
Youth Talent Gets Opportunity
Three academy players—Shim Mheuka, Reggie Walsh, and Landon Emenalo—trained with the first team on Monday. However, they are not expected to feature against Cardiff as they are preparing for an FA Youth Cup match against Brentford.
Coach Maresca’s Strategy
When asked about potential lineup changes, Maresca indicated that adjustments will happen. He mentioned, “We’re going to make some changes. We’ll see how many, but we have players who have played five games in the last 12 days and probably need to recover energy.”
Injury Updates
- Romeo Lavia’s return date remains uncertain.
- Dario Essugo is reportedly close to returning.
- Liam Delap is out until 2026.
Cardiff City Preparations
At Cardiff City, Chelsea has not granted permission for their loanee attacker, Omari Kellyman, to participate in the match. This decision could have an impact on Cardiff’s offensive strategy.
As the match approaches, both teams will look to capitalize on their respective strengths. Chelsea aims to advance in the Carabao Cup, while Cardiff prepares to face a determined opponent.
