Published
If there is a team that stands out as a favorite in this edition of the UEFA Conference Leaguethat is the Chelsea. The historic English football club returns to European competitions after a season away, with Enzo Maresca as its strategist and a squad that seeks to shine. Among them, Christopher Nkunku He emerges as one of the key figures. The French striker, current top scorer of the tournament, finds in this competition an opportunity to consolidate himself and gain prominence as a starter.
The Blues have had an overwhelming start in the Conference League, winning 4-2 to Gent, 4-1 to Panathinaikos and scoring 8-0 to Noah from Armenia. In those games, Nkunku has made himself noticed with important goals: He scored a goal against the Belgians and the Armenians, as well as a double against the Greeks. His performance positions him as one of the top scorers in the competition.
Enzo Maresca has chosen to give minutes to players who do not usually start in the Premier League. Some notable footballers, such as Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer were not even registered in the tournamentwhile regular starters like Moisés Caicedo and Nicolás Jackson have had a secondary role in this competition. This approach allows the Italian coach to take advantage of the depth of his squad.
Nkunku’s opportunity
Nkunku joined Chelsea in July 2023, but a major injury kept him off the field for much of last season. Now that he’s in top shape, The forward finds a platform in the Conference League to demonstrate his level. However, his prominence in this tournament contrasts with the Premier League, where Nicolás Jackson takes his place as the starting forward.
The situation has generated rumors in England about a possible departure for the Frenchman in search of more minutes at another club. However, for Nkunku, this competition is key: allows him to show himself and convince Maresca that he can be a reliable option in important moments. His goal is to recover the level that led him to shine with RB Leipzig, based on goals and outstanding performances.
