According to Football 365.com, Chelsea could be without their first choice goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga due to a hamstring injury. Willy Caballero could deputise against his former club if Kepa, who missed Thursday’s Europa League win over Malmo, is not deemed fit. David Luiz, Eden Hazard, Gonzalo Higuain and Marcos Alonso did not play against Malmo but should come into the side at Wembley, while full-back Davide Zappacosta and winger Pedro could be in the squad following illness.
Chelsea are preparing for the Wembley final amid the fall-out from a two-window transfer ban placed upon them by FIFA. Maurizio Sarri said after Thursday night’s Europa League win over Malmo that Chelsea were hoping to ‘solve a problem’ against City following their 6-0 thrashing at the Etihad a fortnight ago.
“It’s very easy in our minds, I think that there is something at Manchester City,” he told BT Sport. “It was very difficult, we have paid for two weeks and I think that now we can try to solve this problem. “After the first goal, I think that we went in with confidence and we moved the ball really fast and very well, not like in the first 30 minutes. The confidence for playing football is very important.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63090078/1131223348.jpg.1550774873.jpg)
Nevertheless, Sarri admitted that Chelsea risk a “disaster” against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday if they repeat their anxious start in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Malmo FF. Second-half goals from Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley and Callum Hudson-Odoi sent Chelsea through to the Europa League round of 16 with a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Swedes, who also had Rasmus Bengtsson sent off. But the opening 45 minutes yielded few Chelsea chances and plenty of nervy moments as Malmo pressed high early on, and Sarri warned that similar mistakes against City at Wembley could result in a humiliation reminiscent of their historic 6-0 thrashing at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month.
“I think that we played the first 30 minutes without confidence,” Sarri said. “Nervous. We were unable to move the ball very fast. We were in trouble on their pressing. Then a little bit better in the last 15 minutes of the first half and then, after the first goal, very well.
“We started to move the ball very fast and with confidence, very well. But it wasn’t easy for us to play this match, so I can understand my players for the first 30 minutes.”
Asked what will happen if Chelsea make similar errors against City, the Italian replied: “A disaster, of course. But I am worried about the first 30 minutes only for the offensive phase because we cannot play our football without confidence. But the level of application and attention was good, also in the first 30 minutes.”