Chelsea take on Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday night in the Champions League with little to play for. Graham Potter has helped lead the Blues to qualifying for the last-16 and claiming top spot with a match to spare as Chelsea racked up three wins a row after a drab start to the campaign.
Having played nine matches in October and with four games still to come in the next two weeks, it will seem logical for some rest and rotation to occur against the Croatian side. Particularly with the added straight of injuries to the likes of Reece James and Wesley Fofana have provided in the last month.
While many may be hoping for the introduction of some lesser known stars and exciting youngsters, much like Omari Hutchinson was provided an opportunity to travel with the squad at the weekend, it may be also be an opportunity for those in the first team squad to stake their claim.
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Denis Zakaria is yet to make an appearance for Chelsea since his loan arrival on transfer deadline day, and has appeared to make little headway in reaching the forefront of Potter's plans even with the fixture schedule. Perhaps most-tellingly was that Mateo Kovacic was robbed of his rest when he needed to replace Conor Gallagher against Brentford, despite carrying a knee issue. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was positioned elsewhere on that night, reducing the number of players Zakaria had to compete with for a place on the pitch.
However, the Swiss international remained on the bench, and still has more minutes for Juventus this term than Chelsea. Potter recently suggested that a chance would come for the loanee soon, though highlighted the competition in the middle of the park in doing so.
He said: "Yes and you can imagine every player wants to play and when they don’t they’re disappointed and they’re frustrated and it’s normal and you wouldn’t expect anything else but I have to say he has conducted himself fantastically well in terms of with the group, supports his teammates really well, is always there but you can tell he wants to play so, yeah, have to understand that situation but he is fighting for the team, being really professional in training waiting for his opportunity and I’m sure it will come around soon.
"Well, we just spoke about Mason Mount, and there’s Conor Gallagher and Ruben and Jorgi in that area of the pitch. There’s quite a lot of competition so it’s not like he is doing anything bad. It’s just I’ve got to start somewhere in terms of selection and then the other guys have got to be patient and try hard off the side and be ready when the team needs them and that’s exactly what he is doing."
Wednesday night provides the ideal opportunity, though there is every chance that the squad is filled with more competition from the development squad. If Potter hopes to give someone like Charlie Webster or Lewis Hall a chance, will they be more likely to be placed alongside a more experienced head who has regularly played this term?
Not making an appearance versus Dinamo would signal that his future may be best served elsewhere. Outside of Juventus, that can only be done if Zakaria does not make an appearance for the Blues, with players only entitled to play for two teams in one season.
The Carabao Cup match against Manchester City will offer up a second chance but whether he earns minutes in the Champions League on Wednesday will be most telling of all.
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