Chelsea will encounter a stadium in mourning as Panathinaikos play their first home game since the passing of George Baldock, with representatives of the Greek club proclaiming they are determined to win silverware this season in his honour.
Baldock’s death at the age of 31 shocked not only his team-mates but the city of Athens, with Enzo Maresca realising his young team will need to handle an emotionally charged Conference League clash.
They will need to do that without Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Reece James, Moises Caicedo, Malo Gusto, Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia or Wesley Fofana after they were all left at home by Chelsea.
Speaking on Wednesday night, Panathinaikos forward Facundo Pellistri, formerly of Manchester United, said of Baldock: ‘We’re going to continue our struggle for the championship because George is looking at us from the skies. We are going to do everything for him, as his team-mates, as a team, to win the championship to dedicate it to him.’
Manager Diego Alonso added: ‘It is very painful. We are still mourning this loss. I can tell you two things. The first word is respect. The second is our team, all of us, dedicate this season to the blessed memory of George Baldock.’
Panathinaikos are keen to win a trophy in tribute to their late player George Baldock
Enzo Maresca's side will take on the Greek giants in a UEFA Conference League clash
Maresca revealed in his own press conference how he went through similar anguish as a player, losing his Sevilla team-mate Antonio Puerta, who died at the age of 22. Within a week of his death, Maresca was among those who travelled to face AEK Athens in Greece.
‘Unfortunately I lost a friend on the pitch when I was in Seville and the first game we played after that, we were already here in Athens,’ he said, adding this return to Athens left him feeling ‘sad’.
With no James or Gusto among Chelsea’s travellers, Maresca said this would have been a perfect game for their 18-year-old academy star Josh Acheampong, but confirmed that he cannot currently use him amid his contract stand-off. It is believed the club have told Acheampong he will not play for either the first team or the Under 21s until he signs a new deal.
18-year-old academy star Josh Acheampong could get a chance to shine for the Blues
‘I had a chat with him personally about three weeks ago,’ Maresca said. ‘It's a shame. I think Josh potentially can become a top player. He is still 18, still very young, but he can potentially be very important for Chelsea. It’s so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him.
‘The first thing we need to do is to find a solution for his future. For him, I don't know the people who are trying to solve the problem, if they are helping him or not. I really like Josh and I would really like to have him here with us but it is not possible.’
Meanwhile, Mykhailo Mudryk has travelled after being left out of the Premier League squad that faced Liverpool. Carrying no injury, that was a technical decision made by Maresca, who has told the £89million man that he needs to start taking his ‘chance’.