This may be one of the higher profile matchups in the FA Cup Round of 16 this weekend, as Chelsea travel to North Wales to take on Hollywood-famed Wrexham AFC, but for the Blues, this game could be seen as a reprieve amid a run of massive fixtures against top-class opposition.
After back-to-back games against top-four teams in the league, Arsenal and Aston Villa, we have a two-legged Champions League showdown coming up against PSG, not to mention games against Newcastle United and Everton before the next
international break. (And then after the break, it’s back-to-back league games against either half of Manchester.)
Wrexham’s calendar is equally full of other major concerns as they vie for an historic fourth successive promotion. So perhaps both teams will see it as an opportunity to rest and rotate.
For the Blues, some of that opportunity will be restricted as Estêvão and Jamie Gittens remain out, but otherwise Liam Rosenior has plenty of options to choose from.
“Estêvão is back on the pitch, but he is not quite ready for this one. He just needs to clear a few more markers first, and we need to be careful with him given he’s had a hamstring injury. It will be a big boost to have him back with the group.
“Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens is getting really close and he had a really positive scan. We hope that he can be back with the group within the next seven days or so.”
-Liam Rosenior; source: Chelsea FC
