Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has opened up on his team selection for the Champions League clash with Ajax this evening (Wednesday).
The Blues are in Holland for their third match of the 2019/20 Champions League group stage, with Lampard's men having lost to Valencia and beaten Lille so far.
It's an important match this evening for Chelsea against last season's semi-finalists in the competition and Lampard has made some big decisions.
Chelsea are again without N'Golo Kante, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Ross Barkley and Pedro.
Young gun Billy Gilmour is on the bench, while Mateo Kovacic is back in the starting XI instead of Barkley.
Callum Hudson-Odoi also starts for the Blues, with Willian on the right and Tammy Abraham up front. Lampard has now explained the reasoning behind his line-up and sent a message to his bench players.
"(Mateo) Kovacic came in and played well at Newcastle. That's the competition we need," Lampard told BT Sport.
"There are not many changes. The players on the bench need to be ready because who knows what will happen tonight."
Lampard also added that he's well aware of how difficult the task against Ajax is this evening.
"It's a tough match first and foremost. We can't relax on our game in Lille. We have to be at our best," Lampard added.
"This is a club that have done it for years (young players from academy). We are in a new cycle of that. It's a good test. This is a serious night."
