8 hours ago
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As for LA, I’m looking forward to seeing Denis Bouanga, their undoubted star man. He may, though, find it difficult against Reece James, a player with all the potential to become the best right-back in the world – if injury leaves him in peace. There’ve been lost of debates in England about whether the national side should deploy Trent Alexander-Arnold or Kyle Walker in that position, but the correct answer is, in fact, neither.
Talking of Chelsea – pick that segue out – they’re more or less as expected. But Roméo Lavia plays, not Enzo Fernandez, and it’s Nicolas Jackson not Liam Delap.
Subs benches longer than starting XIs. I can’t help but think the best way to level the footballing playing field would be fewer, not more, because then clubs wouldn’t be able to stockpile players.
I take some of it back: LAFC have not supplied shirt numbers.
I’m going to write these teams down, then we’ll think about what we might see.
First things first: hold tight LAFC for presenting their team on social media in formation form.
Yes I have seen Beyoncé twice, now that you ask. I can’t say I was totally ready to see Europa League signage at Spurs, but needs must.
Teams!
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Jackson. Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Sarr, Anselmino, Essugo, Fernandez, Santos, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Nkunku, Delap, Guiu.
LAFC (4-3-3): Lloris; Palencia, Long, Segura, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Delgado; Ordaz, Ebobisse, Bouanga. Subs: Ochoa, Hasal, Chanot, Tafari, Marlon, Saldaña, Raposo, Dilrosun, Amaya, Holm, Yeboah, Wibowo, Martínez, Giroud.
Preamble
It’s hard to know what to feel here, isn’t it? On the one hand, a confected competition, staged for impure reasons, by men of questionable character, in a country undergoing a fascist takeover, skewing domestic competitive balance yet further, while players trudge through yet more games; on the other hand, FOOTBALL.
LAFC did not qualify for this competition automatically, by winning the Concacaf Champions League; rather, they won a play-in after León, former Concacaf Champions League winners, were disqualified for infringing club ownership structure rules. But here they are so here we are, the fifth-best side in the Western Conference, we’ll never sing that.
Facing them we have none other than the reigning Conference League champions – who, in fairness, did actually win the Champions League to make it into this tournament. And Chelsea are, in various ways, a prime example of the vain, venal, narcissistic decadence it represents … but how exciting might it be if, suddenly, they click?
Kick-off: 3pm local, 8pm BST
English (US)