Chelsea vs Ajax: Starting XIs, confirmed team news for Champions League clash

Enzo Maresca has named his Chelsea side to face Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Chelsea return to European action and they are in fine form, winning their last three matches - Benfica, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest - in all competitions.

Another victory in the Champions League will put Chelsea in a healthy position heading into their two European fixtures in November, which come against Qarabag and Barcelona.

Maresca's side will be hoping to inflict further misery on Ajax, who have lost their opening two games of the league phase this term.

Chelsea are without Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, as well as Joao Pedro, who is suspended following his late dismissal (second yellow) against Benfica last month.

Despite Ajax's recent form, Maresca is expecting a far from straightforward affair in west London. He told reporters pre-match: "As I said before, it's a club that in the past, in the present, they always try to play their kind of football, so for sure it will be a difficult game.

"They are also a team and a club that they won this competition in the past, so they want to prove everyone, the players, the manager, the club, but they're going to come here and try to do their best to beat us, and we're going to try to do exactly the same."

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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 22, 2025

Here are the confirmed teams from Stamford Bridge for the European clash between Chelsea and Ajax.

Chelsea

Starting XI: Jorgensen, Caicedo, Fofana, Tosin, Hato, Lavia, Enzo, Estevao, Buonanotte, Gittens, Guiu

Bench: Sanchez, Merrick, James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella, Walsh, Andrey Santos, Neto, Garnacho, Kavuma-McQueen, George

Ajax

Starting XI: Pasveer, Rosa, Itakura, Moro, Taylor, Gloukh, Godts, Baas, McConnell, Weghorst, Sutalo

Bench: Jards, Heerkens, Gaaei, Regeer, Edvardsen, Klaassen, Konadu, Mokio, Fitz-Jim, Alders, Bounida