Lincoln City’s Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea could see Michael Skubala’s side face the Premier League club’s first-choice defensive pairing after Enzo Maresca admitted his options are limited.
The Imps welcome the European giants to the LNER Stadium on Tuesday night for what promises to be one of the biggest occasions in the club’s modern history. And while Chelsea are expected to rotate, their injury situation means Lincoln may still come up against some of the Blues’ most experienced players.
EFL Cup
Chelsea’s Defensive Dilemma
Maresca is without Levi Colwill for the season, while Wesley Fofana’s long battle with fitness has forced caution. That leaves Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo, Chelsea’s regular centre-back duo, in line to feature in Lincoln. The Italian boss admitted he would ideally rest them but conceded that “some of them need to play.”
That revelation gives Tuesday’s tie added intrigue. Rather than a youthful back line, Lincoln may face two proven Premier League defenders, a reminder of the scale of the challenge. Maresca also has teenagers Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato available, but they are more likely to be deployed in wide defensive roles.
For Lincoln, who currently sit third in League One, the possible inclusion of Chalobah and Adarabioyo is a measure of respect. Chelsea may be rotated, but this will not be a second-string side. Chalobah has already tasted defeat at Sincil Bank, as a member of the Chelsea Under 21 squad back in 2018.
Chelsea’s injuries extend further forward, with Liam Delap sidelined and Cole Palmer nursing a groin issue. Maresca’s balancing act, between protecting stars and advancing in the cup, has increased the sense that the Imps could make life uncomfortable for their illustrious visitors.
Lincoln’s Big Opportunity
For City, this is a free hit. The chance to welcome World champions to Lincolnshire is rare enough, but to test themselves against regular Premier League starters under the lights in front of a packed crowd is something else entirely. Skubala has promised his players will give everything, regardless of who Chelsea put out, while the supporters will create an atmosphere worthy of the occasion.
Writer’s View
Facing Chelsea was always going to be a daunting task, but the news that Maresca may field Chalobah and Adarabioyo underlines how seriously the visitors are treating the tie. For Lincoln, that is both a challenge and an opportunity: beating a rotated side can be dismissed, but overcoming first-teamers would go down as one of the club’s greatest results.
Either way, the night promises to be memorable. Lincoln are in form, Chelsea are stretched, and the ingredients are there for a classic cup upset if the Imps can combine discipline with belief. Whatever the outcome, it will be an evening that reminds supporters just how far their club has come.
