Chelsea have looked a bit sluggish during their pre-season tour of the United States so far but considering the fact that the Blues started their trip a bit late, it is expected that they are not up to speed regarding match fitness.
Nonetheless, Chelsea did improve against PSG following their defeat at the hands of New York Red Bulls and one can now expect the Premier League champions to put up a good display when they square off against Spanish giants Barcelona at Maryland.
Here is the Strongest Possible Lineup for Chelsea on the day –
Goalkeeper
Jose Mourinho elected to start with new signing Asmir Begovic for the clash against PSG but the Bosnian star did not look too comfortable in goal.
As a result, Mourinho will in all probability elect to start with Thibaut Courtois against Barcelona, especially considering the attacking threat the Catalan giants pose.
Defence
There is no doubting the fact that Mourinho’s first choice backline consists of Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta.
The quartet form one of the most miserly defences in the world and the Chelsea boss will surely elect to start with his first choice backline against the quality of Barcelona.
Young Kurt Zouma is also developing into a fine player and one can expect to see the Frenchman feature during the clash in some capacity.
Midfield
Much like the backline, Chelsea possess a set midfield lineup with the trio of Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas and Oscar forming a wonderful combination.
The three starts are set to start against Barcelona and their battle against the Spanish side’s midfield will certainly be something to look out for.
In the wide positions, Chelsea possess probably the best winger in the world in Eden Hazard while on the other flank, Willian remains a reliable player both in defence as well as attack.
Juan Cuadrado and Victor Moses are also top quality players and Mourinho will surely look to use the duo in some capacity throughout the course of the match.
Attack
Diego Costa looks like Chelsea’s first choice striker heading into the upcoming season but he is surely set to face tough competition from the duo of Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy.
Fans are particularly keen on seeing how Falcao will perform at Chelsea following his disappointment at Manchester United last season and the striker is likely to feature against Barcelona on Wednesday.
