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Chelsea boss Pochettino: 16 year-olds will face AFC Wimbledon in Cup

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he'll play a youthful line-up in their Carabao Cup clash with AFC Wimbledon.

The two teams meet tomorrow night in the second round.

"It's true the circumstances aren't the best at the moment because we have many injuries and we need to deal after with Saturday's game against Nottingham Forest," said Pochettino.

"We are going to try to put the best team out to be sure we are going to perform in the way we want, but we have some players we need to avoid the risk and give some rest.

"We are going to use four or five young guys from the Academy, 16- or 17-year-olds.

"It's not because it's our philosophy at the moment, I need to clarify that. I can not be a populist or a hypocrite. It's because we need young guys to bring to the first team because we have some players who cannot play tomorrow.

"In time it will be good to create the possibility for the young guys. Chelsea always produce good talented young kids. Part of the project is to produce players for the first team because the Academy and all the coaches there are working so hard.

"At a club like Chelsea it's important to have players from the Academy that can translate the identity of the club."

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