Chelsea Face Lincoln City in Carabao Cup With Fresh Rule Twist
Chelsea’s Carabao Cup campaign is kicking off with a trip to League One side Lincoln City, and the build-up to this tie has already carried a bit of drama. One of the main talking points has been the eligibility of 19-year-old Spanish striker Marc Guiu, who recently returned to Stamford Bridge after a loan spell at Sunderland. Normally, playing for two different teams in the same cup competition would have ruled him out under the old “cup-tied” system. But with the EFL introducing new rules this season, players are now allowed to feature for two clubs in the competition within certain limits.
This meant Chelsea were briefly caught out, as they initially believed Guiu wouldn’t be able to play. The clarification only came hours before kick-off, when the EFL confirmed he is, in fact, eligible. Even so, Guiu isn’t expected to feature tonight, but his availability could be valuable in later rounds if Chelsea progress. He had already shown flashes of talent at Sunderland, scoring once in their EFL Cup campaign before being recalled by the Blues to cover for injured striker Liam Delap.
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And Chelsea do need the extra firepower. With Delap sidelined until December and Nicolas Jackson sent on loan to Bayern Munich, Enzo Maresca’s side have been left short of options up front. Joao Pedro has carried the load in every game so far this season, which makes squad rotation in the cup all the more important.
The timing of this match is also intriguing. Chelsea are winless in their last three fixtures, including a 2–1 defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, so confidence has been fragile. The Carabao Cup might not hold the same prestige as European competitions, but it has always been a stage where shocks can happen. Manchester United and Nottingham Forest have already stumbled in this season’s early rounds, so Chelsea will be wary of being the next big scalp.
Lincoln, meanwhile, come into this with belief. The Imps have already built a reputation for punching above their weight in cup competitions, and although they’ve only twice made it as far as the fourth round in League Cup history, a home tie against Chelsea represents a golden opportunity. Their fans at the LNER Stadium will know that one big night could put them in the headlines again.
Maresca, for his part, has called for focus. He’s also hinted at making several changes, which could see backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen step in for the suspended Robert Sanchez. Sanchez was sent off against Manchester United and later apologised publicly and privately for his costly mistake. Jorgensen, according to Maresca, is more than ready to step in when called upon.
So, as Chelsea prepare to begin their Carabao Cup journey, the situation feels balanced between opportunity and risk. For the Blues, it’s about getting momentum back and avoiding a slip-up. For Lincoln, it’s about making history. Either way, this tie has already served up plenty of intrigue before a ball has even been kicked.
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