Valentin Barco was ignored by Xabi Alonso on Sunday, and needs to prove to his manager that he's ready for action with a cup appearance.
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The Carabao Cup is usually just a bit of a distraction – for Chelsea this year it's a big deal. Without European football, the focus turns more onto the domestic cups for silverware. It's also going to be vital for Xabi Alonso in these early stages as he looks to learn about his squad in competitive games.
One player we're fascinated to see play tomorrow is Valentin Barco. His status is already quite confusing. The game against Arsenal at the weekend saw him left on the bench when the Blues needed fresh legs in midfield. Instead, full back Malo Gusto was chosen to go on to replace Romeo Lavia . The fact that Reece James was already out there meant that suddenly we were taking on the league champions with two right backs in the middle of the pitch.
Valentin Barco (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
So the question remains: why doesn't Xabi Alonso want to use Barco? This is the second time this season that Gusto has come on ahead of him to play in midfield. Is it just a matter of letting the Argentine settle in? Does he doubt his ability to compete physically? Either way, tomorrow's game (which the youngster will presumably start) has become massive for Barco as he looks to prove himself.
Reece James has called for patience after Chelsea were beaten by Arsenal once again. The Blues are only just starting their project under Xabi Alonso.
Maxence Lacroix also shared his feelings after the game , and he was also pretty positive about how his team had got on against the champions.
