Chelsea's got a bit of an advantage going into this second leg against Copenhagen. They won the first leg 2-1 last week, so Copenhagen's got to dig deep at Stamford Bridge this Thursday in the Conference League. Whoever wins this one will face either Molde or Legia Warsaw in the quarter-finals.
Chelsea's been on fire in this competition, winning every game so far. In the first leg, James and Enzo Fernandez scored, but Maresca, the Chelsea manager, wasn't thrilled about that late goal Copenhagen got, saying it was a bit "sloppy." But, they bounced back with a 1-0 win against Leicester in the Premier League, where Cucurella scored, even though Palmer missed a penalty.
They're on a three-game winning streak now, which has pushed them back into the top four in the Premier League. They're chasing that Champions League spot, but it's still tight.
They're hoping to keep the momentum going against Copenhagen and make it to the quarter-finals of a major European competition for the 15th time. They've been really strong at home in the Conference League, winning all their games there. And, they've only lost once at Stamford Bridge in all competitions since the start of the season, except for that odd Boxing Day loss to Fulham.
Copenhagen, on the other hand, needs to pull off a comeback. They've got to overturn that one-goal deficit. Their manager, Neestrup, knows it's a tough task, saying they need a "little miracle." They've shown they can come from behind, though, like when they beat Heidenheim earlier in the competition.
They've actually been pretty good away in the Conference League over the years, winning a lot of games. But, they've got a tough history against English teams, especially Chelsea. They've never beaten Chelsea, and they've never won away against an English side.
They've been a bit inconsistent lately, winning only a couple of their last few games. And, they've just dropped to second place in their domestic league after drawing their last two matches. So, they're definitely going to have to bring their A-game to London.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Chelsea's got a few guys out. Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, and Marc Guiu are all dealing with hamstring injuries, and Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended. Plus, James has been ill, and Malo Gusto has an ankle problem, so they'll both be assessed before the game.
Even though Palmer wasn't feeling great before the Leicester game, he should be good to go for Thursday. He'll probably play in that advanced midfield role. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George are hoping to get back into the starting lineup after starting in the first leg.
And get this, Shumaira Mheuka, who's only 17, became Chelsea's youngest starter in a major European competition last week. He might get another start up front. Christopher Nkunku could also play up top or out on the wings.
For Copenhagen, they've got their own injury list. Andreas Cornelius, Lukas Lerager, and Oliver Hojer have unspecified issues, Nicolai Boilesen is out with a knee injury, and Kevin Diks has an ankle problem. Roony Bardghji, who's been out with an ACL injury, is getting closer to a return, but this game is too soon.
Thomas Delaney is also a doubt, he's been ill, and they'll check on him before the game. Marcos Lopez is suspended because of yellow card accumulation, so Birger Meling will probably take his place at left-back or left wing-back.
Gabriel Pereira, who scored in the first leg, will be in the center of their defense again. And 18-year-old Amin Chiakha could be starting up front, with Viktor Claesson and Elias Achouri providing support in the attack.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; George, Palmer, Nkunku; Mheuka
Copenhagen possible starting lineup:
Ramaj; Gocholeishvili, Garananga, Pereira, Chatzidiakos, Meling; Clem, Froholdt; Claesson, Chiakha, Achouri
EXPERT PREDICTION
Chelsea 2-0 Copenhagen
