Chelsea boss Graham Potter has revealed he is not going to use youngsters ‘for the sake of it’ in their Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb.
The Blues sealed their qualification for the knockout rounds of the competition last week when they beat RB Salzburg.
Such a result also means they will finish top of Group E, which is even more impressive when considering Chelsea were winless in their opening two games of the tournament.
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Wednesday’s opponents Zagreb sealed a shock 1-0 win against the west London side on matchday one, with the match ultimately being Thomas Tuchel’s last as head coach.
Potter replaced him two days later, and has since led the side to wins against AC Milan and Salzburg to ensure their spot in the Champions League last 16.
With Chelsea already through to the next round, many fans think there could be a chance that some youngsters will feature in the clash.
However, Potter has revealed that this may not be the case as they look to bounce back from their defeat against Brighton at the weekend.
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When he spoke to the media in his pre-match press conference for the tie against Zagreb, he said: "It's not a time just to use youngsters for the sake of it.
“We have to try to pick a team that can win. We've used a lot of young players, they've been impressive. I've liked their character and personality."
Chelsea were on a run of nine games unbeaten in all competitions before their trip to the south coast on Saturday.
However, they were well-beaten against the Seagulls, with Potter’s former side winning 4-1.
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Despite such an impressive run of form before the defeat, the head coach was asked whether or not he is feeling the pressure after such a result.
"In my job, you have to be careful what you listen to,” he responded.
“People can talk, say whatever, it's part of life. When you're at a club like this, you're only 90 minutes away from 'crisis'. You have to put it in perspective and look at it as intelligently as you can.
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"There's always people who will have a different view, you can't control that."
After their clash against Zagreb, Chelsea will return to Premier League action to host current league leaders Arsenal.
Potter’s side will then travel to Manchester City for the Carabao Cup, before facing Newcastle in their final game before the break for the World Cup.
Chelsea will not play again until the end of December as many of the club’s stars prepare to represent their countries in Qatar.
Topics: Chelsea, Graham Potter, Champions League, Football
Robert Calcutt