Joao Felix is Chelsea’s maestro of Thursday night football – who cannot get a game at the weekend

These are strange times for Joao Felix. Once the great wonderkid of the European scene, he now finds himself as the maestro of Thursday night football who seemingly cannot get a game on weekends.
Chelsea’s trip to face Panathinaikos in the Uefa Conference League brought about only the third start of the season for Felix, the £45 million summer signing from Atletico Madrid. The previous two were against Gent, also in Europe, and Barrow in the League Cup.
Barrow, Gent, Panathinaikos. It would be safe to say that this is not the calibre of opponent that Felix expected to be playing at the age of 24, as he approaches his peak years as a footballer.
It would also be safe to say that he is far too gifted for this level. The Portugal international hardly moved out of second gear here but he still spun past his opponents, sprayed the ball around the pitch and left the field with two goals to his name.
Too good for the Conference League, but not good enough for the Premier League? That seems to be the current situation for Felix, for whom life is complicated by the brilliance of Cole Palmer. Felix and Palmer are both competing for the No 10 role in the league side (the ‘A team’, if you will), so Palmer’s class means that Felix currently must settle for a role in the ‘B team’.
Joao Felix gives Chelsea the lead 🤩A brilliantly worked goal 💫📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8FwQsgCXTm
Felix is a confident chap, as you might expect of a player who was signed by Atletico for £113 million at the age of 19, and he made it clear this week that he believes his time will come. “Nothing will stop me achieving my dreams,” he declared on Wednesday.
If Enzo Maresca’s system is to remain as it is, though, then it is hard to see how Felix can become a key player. Palmer is clearly Chelsea’s most important figure and the playmaking position is firmly within his grasp. It seems it would require a change in shape or a change in Felix’s position for him to become a regular starter in this team.
His versatility could be useful in that regard. Felix can play as a striker, a No 10 or a winger. In this game against Panathinaikos, he occasionally dropped into midfield and then occasionally pushed forward as a more advanced attacker. He can do both, when he gets the chance.
His first goal here, for example, was a fine striker’s finish, converted from close range after Mykhailo Mudryk had surged into space. Like Felix, Mudryk enjoyed an encouraging night in Athens, and the Ukrainian’s back-post header, from Pedro Neto’s cross, doubled Chelsea’s lead a few minutes after the break.
Mykhailo Mudryk doubles Chelsea’s advantage 🙌📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/HjwUpeMWjh
“We are working with Misha [Mudryk] and all the wingers to arrive in the box, into the position where he scored,” said Maresca. “He struggled to arrive there [earlier in the season] and now he is starting to arrive there. That is where we are going to score goals.
“We want the best for Misha. Since day one, we are trying to help Misha. Probably for him, he is one of the guys that the learning process is more slow compared to the rest but he is improving. I’m sure that slowly, slowly we will have Misha scoring more goals and being important for us.”
Felix’s second was also created by Mudryk, whose short pass allowed the Portuguese to shoot from range. With the help of a deflection off Nemanja Maksimovic, his effort spun into the corner.
Chelsea were predictably dominant in these stages, despite the annoyance of being targeted by laser pens from the stands. “Here in Greece, the laser belongs to the competition,” said Maresca. “It’s almost impossible to control with 60,000 people.”
Felix was involved in the fourth, too, as his cross forced a handball from Daniel Mancini in the penalty area. Christopher Nkunku converted from the spot.
By this point it was clear that the match was no longer a contest, but Panathinaikos were able to conjure a consolation goal for their home crowd. Facundo Pellistri, once of Manchester United, tapped in at the back post after Georgios Vagiannidis had surged down the right flank.
Panathinaikos (4-2-3-1): Dragowski 5; Kotsiras 5, Schenkeveld 5, Jedvaj 5, Mladenovic 5 (Vagiannidis 60); Maksimovic 5, Cerin 6; Mancini 5 (Tete 60), Ounahi 6 (Bakasetas 80), Pellistri 6 (Duricic 70); Jeremejeff 5 (Sporar 71)Subs: Bregou, Dabizas, Fikaj, Ingason, Lilo, Lodygin, AraoBooked: Mladenovic
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen 6; Disasi 7, Badiashile 6, Veiga 7, Cucurella 6; Fernandez 6 (Casadei 71), Dewsbury-Hall 6 (Chukwuemeka 77), Neto 7 (George 62), Felix 8, Mudryk 8; Nkunku 7 (Guiu 61)Subs: Bergstrom, Sanchez, Madueke, Mheuka, Tosin, Rak-Sakyi, SanchoBooked: Disasi
Referee: Antonio Nobre (POR)
A job well done by Chelsea, with Maresca able to take Neto, Nkunku and Fernandez off nice and early. No fresh injury problems for Chelsea going into Sunday’s Premier League game against Newcastle.
The occasion will be remembered for the fact it was Panathinaikos’ first home game since the death of their player George Baldock aged 31. Their fans paid tribute to Baldock before the game, and more are likely to follow at a club still in shock.
Chelsea have a late free-kick to defend after Djuricic is brought down by Disasi. The Chelsea centre-back picks up a careless booking. Tete takes it, straight into the wall.
Panathinaikos still trying to stick to their passing principles and push forward, but the move ends with the substitute Djuricic sending a shot over the bar. 
Chelsea players just enjoying some keepball now at the back. It would go down as a shock if they failed to win this competition, given the quality at Maresca’s disposal.
Almost an embarrassing moment for Veiga at the back for Chelsea, who very nearly hooked an attempted clearance over his own goalkeeper and into his own net. It just about cleared the bar. Then Disasi had to hook the ball off the line from the resulting corner.
Another Chelsea change: Dewsbury-Hall off, Carney Chukwuemeka replaces him. If he can stay fit Chelsea will have another outstanding young midfield talent to call upon.
Joao Felix has just missed a presentable chance to complete his hat-trick. Picked out by George who continues his impressive cameo, but Felix scooped his effort over the bar.
Dewsbury-Hall has grow into the game, helping drive Chelsea up the pitch. Mudryk then shows some impressive defensive application to track another forward run by Vagiannidis.
The player highlighted as their dangerman has converted: Pellistri tapping in at the back post after Vagiannidis got forward on the overlap. 
Maresca has responded with a change: Fernandez off, and Casadei on.
George chops inside and shoots straight at the goalkeeper. Chelsea’s players are now queuing up in the penalty area wanting to get their name on the scoresheeet.
George has looked lively since replacing Neto on Chelsea’s right-back. The Greek side now look pretty demoralised and disorganised. Chelsea playing through their half-hearted pressure with ease now.
Can I officially retract my half-time verdict in which I said this was a competitive game? Chelsea have gone up a gear since the break and Panathinaikos have been ripped apart. 
After that flurry of goals, Maresca is introducing a couple of youngsters: Guiu and George are on for Neto and Nkunku. Positive signs for their chances of starting against Newcastle on Sunday?
Sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and fires the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. 
Nkunku celebrates with his usual balloon celebration.
It’s 4-0 🔥Christopher Nkunku grabs his 8th goal of the season from the penalty spot 🙌📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/yt1rr5sOOp
Mancini is penalised for handball, and Mladenovic is booked for his protests. 
Nkunku is going to take, but is having to deal with green lasers being shone towards his eyes.
Another assist for Mudryk, this time with a simple pass back to Felix from the edge of the area. His shot deflected off Maksimovic and beyond the helpless goalkeeper Dragowski. Well and truly game over now.
Chelsea have their third of the night 🤩A lucky deflection from Joao Felix’s shot sees the Blues extend their lead 💙📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/bFkmIvP0Ri
There have been a few stray switches of play from Chelsea tonight, which might be something for Maresca to keep tabs on. Cucurella tracks a run forward and defends well on the cover.
Panathinaikos with another decent move but it ends with a Mancini shot deflecting behind for a corner off Veiga. Chelsea defend and clear.
A goal and an assist for Mudryk tonight. Neto stood up a cross to the back post with his right foot, and Mudryk arrived with a header into the turf and into the roof of the net. Mudryk’s first goal of the season, and Chelsea home and hosed now surely.
That’s Mudryk’s first goal of the season, and it’s an impressive headed finish. The Ukrainian winger has made two decisive contributions tonight, producing a goal and an assist, and that is the sort of movement he has so often failed to make in a Chelsea shirt. Signs of progress, perhaps… 
Mykhailo Mudryk doubles Chelsea’s advantage 🙌📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/HjwUpeMWjh
Fernandez scoops a dangerous pass over the top for Nkunku to chase, but he goes down too easily in search of a penalty. Nothing doing. Then a Chelsea attack breaks down with a loose Felix pass.
Pellistri shows a turn of foot to burst away on the counter for Panathinaikos, straight through the middle of Chelsea, but his final pass let him down.
Panathinaikos get the second half started. No changes from Maresca at half time.
One of the fears about Chelsea’s Conference League campaign this season is that it simply would not be competitive, at least until the later stages. In terms of resources and depth, they are so far ahead of the vast majority of teams in this competition. 
It is perhaps good news for Chelsea, then, that this has been a proper match of football. Chelsea are the better side, as you would expect, but Panathinaikos have caused them quite a few problems. It’s a test, not a stroll. 
Chelsea had to rely on a fine save by Jorgensen in the first few minutes, but since Felix’s first goal this has been very comfortable for Maresca’s side. They are keeping the ball in the way we have become accustomed to, and there are surely more goals out there if they put their foot on the pedal.
Ounahi shows some quick feet in midfield for Panathinaikos. Chelsea scoring the first goal in the contest has dampened the atmosphere in Athens. 
Joao Felix shoots wide from distance. Dewsbury-Hall gives the ball away in a dangerous position, but the flag goes up for offside against Panathinaikos.
Chelsea now willing to stand on the ball at the back and wait for Panathinaikos to jump out of possession. The Greek side left a number of first-team players on the bench, so who knows how much of an eye they have on their upcoming league games.
Badiashille does well to feed Fernandez with a disguised pass, but he then clips a pass over Mudryk’s head out for a throw-in. Chelsea do now have a grip of the game now though, they are finding it comfortable to play around Panathinaikos.
That goal marked a rare case of Mykhailo Mudryk playing the right pass at the right time. He is such a frustrating footballer, because he clearly has the ability to make goals like that all the time. There’s just never any consistency, between games and within them. 
We wrote before the match about the importance of Felix having a good game tonight and he has started very well here. A tidy finish. 
Cracking effort from Enzo Fernandez, arriving to shoot at the edge of the box but Dragowski tipped his effort over the bar. Badiashille then penalised for a foul on Jeremejeff.
That first goal should settle Chelsea down. Their transfer policy has been scoffed at, with justification at times, but it is startling that they can make XI changes and line up with attackers of Neto, Nkunku and Felix’s class in their side. Eventually, such depth of talent is going to rise up the league.
Chelsea had been struggling to put Panathinaikos under sustained pressure but now have the opening goal. It was a longer ball forward from Dewsbury-Hall to Felix, who flicked a header on to find Mudryk in space. The winger teased a low cross across the six-yard line and there was Felix to apply the close-range finish.
Joao Felix gives Chelsea the lead 🤩A brilliantly worked goal 💫📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8FwQsgCXTm
Mudryk cuts inside from the left and slices a shot well over the bar from the edge of the area. Bizarrely, he fires a few verbals at a team-mate after doing so. Panathinaikos will be very satisified with this opening spell of the game.
I can clearly see from the press box that green laser pens are being shone in the face of Chelsea’s players here. The back four, especially. 
Panathinaikos looking dangerous again, with Pellistri flicking a cute pass around the corner. Then Cerin carries the ball into the box, only to be halted by a Dewsbury-Hall challenge that comes at the expense of a corner. The home team continue to look enterprising. Chelsea just about scramble the corner clear.
Veiga continues to look very assured for Chelsea, feeding Mudryk with left-footed passes down that flank. Mudryk then catches a defender with a high boot after Disasi tossed a hopeful ball into the penalty area. Chelsea starting to establish dominance of possession.
Panathinaikos continue to show impressive composure on the ball in their own half. Chelsea’s forward players are not making it hard enough for the Greek team to play out. Felix is playing suprisingly deep at times, more as a third midfielder than a second striker behind Nkunku.
Decent start from Panathinaikos who are moving the ball around at tempo. Chelsea looking a little loose in their out of possession shape. A loose ball runs for the Panathinaikos midfielder Ounahi to hit from 25 yards…good attempt, but drifts wide of the far post.
It looks like Veiga is playing as a left centre-back, with Cucurella drifting into midfield positions from left-back. Former Man Utd winger Facundo Pellistri is the Panathinaikos side, and he wins a free-kick in a crossing position after a foul by Disasi.
Big save from Jorgensen! It was a free header for Jedvaj at the back post after a wicked delivery, but the Chelsea goalkeeper made an athletic stop diving to his right. That will strengthen his case to usurp Sanchez.
Chelsea get the game under way.
There will be a minute’s silence in memory fo George Baldock. Panathinaikos fans hold up cards with his shirt number 32.
Panathinaikos pays tribute to George Baldock. pic.twitter.com/iV1lWnWu0C
It has been a slow start to the season for Joao Felix, the £45 million summer signing who has started just two matches in all competitions so far — and none in the Premier League. Felix has the misfortune of playing in the same position as Cole Palmer, which will obviously limit his opportunities. Tonight is a chance for him to put some pressure on the England playmaker. 
These are lovely conditions for a game of football, as the temperature has plummeted from its mid-afternoon peak (which was a little too hot for high-intensity football, in this Englishman’s humble opinion). If anything, it’s now a little chilly in the Athens Olympic Stadium. It’s a big arena and the wind seems to be circling around the running track.
When the game is close it always a thought to change a little bit. But overall we prepare the game in the way we have always. It is to share minutes because they all deserve it. 
How will Chelsea line up in defence tonight? It’s an interesting side, with three left-footers in Enzo Maresca’s back four. My assumption is that one of Veiga or Cucurella will play at left-back, while the other will operate as a centre-back. Alternatively, it could be a back three. The Europa Conference League provides an opportunity for Maresca to experiment, and that looks to be what he is doing tonight. 
He is doing fantastic. Everything I can say is good things. We have Joao but we have more players who are unfortunately not all playing.
It’s not because they are not doing well in the week. It’s because the ones playing in this moment are doing very well. Joao just has to continue working in the way he is and hopefully we can give him more minutes and chances.
Panathinaikos XI: Dragowski, Kotsiras, Schenkeveld, Jedvaj, Mladenovic, Cerin, Maksimovic, Mancini, Ounahi, Pellistri, Jeremejeff
Subs: Lodygin, Lilo, Vagiannidis, Sporar, Tete, Bakasetas, Ingason, Fikaj, Bregou, Djuricic, Willian Arao, Dabizas
Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Veiga, Badiashile, Disasi, Cucurella, Dewsbury-Hall, Fernandez, Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Nkunku, Mudryk
Subs: Sanchez, Bergstrom, Adarabioyo, Madueke, Chukwuemeka, Sancho, Casadei, George, Guiu, Mheuka, Rak-Sakyi
This was Manchester City midfielder James McAtee, who spent time on loan with Baldock at Sheffield United, after scoring for England’s Under-21s against Ukraine:
Sheffield United fans held up Baldock shirts before their Championship match at Leeds United:
An emotional Tasos Bakasetas holds up the black armband Greece’s players wore in memory of Baldock, after scoring against Republic of Ireland in the Nations League. Baldock won 12 caps for Greece having qualified to represent the country through his grandmother:
Panathinaikos v Chelsea. The first competitive match between these two sides.#CFC lineup is Jorgensen; Disasi, Badiashile, Veiga, Cucurella; Fernandez, Dewsbury-Hall; Neto, Felix, Mudryk; Nkunku pic.twitter.com/PXJgwB5ZeY
It was at this stadium that Enzo Maresca’s Sevilla side played their first match following the death of defender and team-mate Antonio Puerta, aged 22, in August 2007.
Puerta collapsed on the pitch during a game against Getafe. Though he was resuscitated and was able to walk off the pitch unaided, he went into cardiac arrest and died in hospital three days later.
The following week, Maresca and Sevilla played an away leg in the Champions League against AEK Athens.
“The feeling is mixed,” said Chelsea’s head coach of his return.
“The season I spent here in Greece (with Olympiacos) was very good. At the same time I was here unfortunately after I lost a friend on the pitch at Seville.
“The first game we played after that one of our team-mates passed away, Antonio Puerta. It’s mixed feelings. Every time I come back here it is a little bit sad.”
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Chelsea will face a team in mourning on Thursday night as they come up against a Panathinaikos side playing their first home game since the death of full-back George Baldock.
Baldock, the England-born Greece international, passed away earlier this month at the age of 31. Panathinaikos are preparing a series of tributes to Baldock on Thursday night and their players have dedicated this season to his memory.
“This is a really hard situation,” said Panathinaikos winger Facundo Pellistri, who joined the club from Manchester United this summer. “It has not affected only us as teammates but the whole country.
“We are going to continue our struggle for the championship because George, who is not with us, is looking at us from the skies and he would like to have seen the team gain the championship. We are going to do everything for him as his teammates and his team. Winning the championship to dedicate to him.”
Diego Alonso, the Panathinaikos manager, added: “We are living 15 very hard days, we are still mourning this loss. I wouldn’t like to enter into details because this is not correct at this time, but I can tell you two things. The first is respect. The second thing is that our team, all of us, dedicate the whole season to the blessed memory of George Baldock.”
Chelsea have arrived in Greece with a youthful squad that features academy products Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Shim Mhueka, but there is still no place for highly-rated defender Josh Acheampong.
As reported by Telegraph Sport earlier this week, Acheampong has been told he will not play for the first team or development squad after mysteriously reneging on a new long-term contract that Chelsea believed was ready to be signed. Chelsea remain keen to keep him at the club.
“I feel a bit of shame for Josh because I think this kind of game can be an opportunity for him,” said head coach Enzo Maresca.
“I had a chat with him, personally, about three weeks ago, about his situation. The chat we had was a very good chat, a positive chat but since that moment I haven’t spoken to him again.
“As I said, it’s a shame. I think Josh potentially can become a top player. He is still 18, so still very young, so many things can change for him, 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. The most important thing at this stage is to get minutes, enjoy and to play football. 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.”