Chelsea will face Atalanta in the Champions League, but manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the team will once again be without their main striker, Liam Delap.

Following a shoulder injury sustained in last week's match against Bournemouth, the 22-year-old striker is expected to be sidelined for some time, leaving Chelsea's attacking line facing another adjustment.

Delap joined from Ipswich this summer and played a key role in the Club World Cup victory. However, he has already missed two months this season due to a hamstring injury, was suspended for the first game back after receiving a red card, and now has to leave the field early again due to a shoulder injury, which has repeatedly disrupted his season rhythm.

At the pre-match press conference, Maresca expressed cautious optimism about Delap's recovery, but also emphasized that the team must continue to find alternatives. Maresca said, "We've already experienced Liam missing two months this season."

“João, Pedro Neto, and Terríquez Jorge have all played the number nine position. We will continue to try to find solutions because Liam is a very important player who needs to improve through matches, but for now we can only adapt to his absence.”

Chelsea currently sit seventh in the Champions League table after five matches, within the direct qualification zone for the Round of 16, but are tied with Atalanta on 10 points, with the latter in tenth place. The clash between these two teams will directly impact the qualification standings.

This match will also be Chelsea's third consecutive away game. Regarding whether the three-game away stretch will affect preparations, Maresca admitted that the schedule density is more challenging than the away games themselves: "In the Premier League, we get more points away than at home."

"Although we have one draw and one loss in the Champions League, we usually balance things out by the end of the season. The real challenge is the pace of playing every two days, which leaves almost no time for recovery and preparation, but we are working hard to adapt."