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Underdogs tag, Enzo Maresca claim - English striker eyeing Chelsea Conference League upset

Gent striker Max Dean will be hoping to be on target against Chelsea on Thursday.
-Credit: (Image: Photo by KURT DESPLENTER/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)


Gent striker Max Dean says they have 'nothing to lose' against Chelsea as the underdogs look to stun Enzo Maresca's side. The Belgian First Division side will have had six matches in the UEFA Conference League before they step out onto Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Wouter Vrancken's side face one of the toughest tests in this season's competition when they visit West London this week, the 45-year-old has navigated Gent through tricky tests in the Faroe Islands and Denmark, as well as Serbian giants Partizan. De Buffalo's have made a decent start to their league campaign, winning five of their first nine league matches, leaving them six points off league leaders Genk and level on points with Royal Antwerp in second.

The 20-year-old will be one of the familiar English names on the visitors' teamsheet with former Derby County talent, Archie Brown, also in the squad. Dean was released by Everton aged 16 and has had an interesting path, in a short period of time, learning his trade with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, suffering relegation and playoff heartache with MK Dons before his summer move to Belgium.

Going into the encounter in the new-look competition, Gent are in good form beating Club Brugge last week in their run of three wins in their last five - the only blemish coming in a 2-1 defeat away at Cercle Brugge. However, the clash with Chelsea has been the talk of the town in northwest Belgium and Dean admits a team of the Blues' stature should be in the Champions League.

He told football.london: "Everyone knows the size of Chelsea, they shouldn’t be in the Conference League - more second or third. With the new coach, they’re a good side.

"Even after beating Brugge, fans were saying, ‘same again against Chelsea’, it’s all the eyes have been on but as players, we had to focus on what’s ahead in the league - playing England clubs is massive.

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"It'll be similar to the Brugge game. We are the underdogs but have nothing to lose. We’ll go there, even if we take a point but it will be nice to be back in England in front of a full crowd.

"We played Club Brugge, who are in the Champions League, done a job on them so we’ll be full of confidence going to Chelsea but with the new coach, they’re a good side."

Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and Enzo Fernandez are some of the stars that could feature for Chelsea on Thursday. Despite the riches at Stamford Bridge, the Liverpool-born striker says he isn't phased by the wealth of quality.

"I don’t really pick out a player. I’m not going to idolise any of their players, whoever is in their starting 11, we want to beat them," he said.