Chelsea has made significant changes to their Champions League squad in preparation for their upcoming last-16 match against Borussia Dortmund, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Benoit Badiashile missing from the list submitted to UEFA.
Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Joao Felix have been added to the squad in their place, allowing Chelsea to register three new players for the knockout stages as per UEFA regulations.
The news has come as a surprise to many, with Aubameyang widely expected to be included in the squad. However, manager Graham Potter has revealed that it was a tough decision to omit Gabon international from the list.
He has refused to be drawn on speculation of a rift between himself and Aubameyang. The decision to omit Aubameyang and Badiashile could be explained by the fact that the Blues need to use their squad carefully in the coming months.
With a Premier League top-four finish still up for grabs, Potter will be keen to keep his players fresh and ensure that they are in the best condition possible.
Thus, it may have been a case of Potter erring on the side of caution when selecting his Champions League squad.
While Aubameyang and Badiashile have shown glimpses of quality since joining Chelsea, neither player has been able to cement a place in the starting lineup, and the Blues may have yet to feel confident enough in their abilities to commit them to the Champions League.
The decision to include Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Joao Felix instead is an intriguing one. Mudryk has impressed since joining the club in January and has already established himself as a regular in the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, Fernandez and Felix are still very much in the early stages of their Chelsea careers, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in the Champions League.
Ultimately, Potter has put a lot of thought into his Champions League squad selection, and the decision to omit Aubameyang and Badiashile could prove to be a wise one in the long run.
Despite the frustration of missing out on the Champions League, the duo will still have the chance to make an impact for Chelsea in the Premier League.