Maurizio Sarri has all but promised Callum Hudson-Odoi will get a starting berth for Chelsea over the coming weeks. The Blues face Cardiff in Wales on Sunday as the Premier League returns after the international window, in which Hudson-Odoi won his first two senior England caps.
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The Wandsworth-born forward has been backed to shake off the racial abuse he has suffered in recent action for both Chelsea and England. And Sarri also insisted the 18-year-old is ready for his full Premier League debut, with that milestone having so far eluded him purely “by chance”. “We have to play eight matches in 28 days, and so I am sure that Callum will start in two or three matches,” said Sarri.
“Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup, for me, it’s the same; for me, there’s no difference. “I’m really very confident in him. He has started a lot of matches, not in the Premier League, but that’s by chance. “It’s not a problem for me to put him in the starting XI in a Premier League match. He’s ready. “But of course I can play with only two wingers. In the squad we have (Eden) Hazard, Willian, Pedro, so it’s not really very easy to start in every match here.”
