Heidenheim0 - 2Chelsea

With a wide array of star players having not travelled to Germany, Maresca was always likely to heavily rotate his side as Chelsea look to record a fourth successive win in this competition.

The only player to retain his place from the team that started the Premier League encounter at Leicester City on Saturday afternoon is Benoit Badiashile.

Jadon Sancho makes his first Chelsea start since October 20, with Christopher Nkunku, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Marc Guiu forming the front four.

Cesare Casadei and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall feature in central midfield, with a senior defence including Axel Disasi at right-back.

Carney Chukwuemeka is back among the substitutes and will be hoping for game time in the second half, as will a number of academy players including Tyrique George.

Schmidt rings changes

Meanwhile, Frank Schmidt has made five changes to the Heidenheim starting lineup from the 5-2 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last time out.

Tim Siersleben and Norman Theuerkauf have been brought into the defence, taking their positions in the centre and on the left respectively.

Further forward, Leo Scienza features on the right flank, Paul Wanner in the number 10 role and Mikkel Kaufmann leading the frontline.

Heidenheim XI: Muller; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Theuerkauf; Dorsch, Maloney; Scienza, Wanner, Honsak; Kaufmann

Subs: Eicher, Feller, Busch, Schoppner, Gimber, Breunig, Fohrenbach, Kerber, Beck, Negele, Conteh, Janes

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Disasi, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; Sancho, Nkunku, Mudryk; Guiu

Subs: Sanchez, Bergstrom, Colwill, Madueke, Felix, Chukwuemeka, George, Dyer, Rak-Sakyi, Mheuka