Thiago Silva has not travelled for Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Krasnodar.
The veteran defender has been in impressive form - playing a pivotal role in back-to-back clean sheets against Sevilla and Manchester United.
But Frank Lampard has already expressed the need to manage the 36-year-old’s game time during a hectic fixture schedule.
He already rested Thiago after the Brazil international recent games for his country.
The Chelsea manager said last week: “Over the season I will manage him. I have a very close relationship with him already, even if he uses a translator.
“I will always work closely with him and I remember being in the same position myself towards the end of my career, in the last year in the Premier League.
“So I will be very aware of maintenance training and his selection as we want him to play as many games as we can.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga is still out with a shoulder injury, while Marcos Alonso is suspended for the game against Krasnodar.
Chelsea squad
Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Willy Caballero, Fikayo Tomori, Kurt Zouma, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech, Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz, Emerson Palmieri, Karlo Ziger.
