Chelsea Injuries Give Nathan Ake and Other Youngsters a Champions League Chance

There was a moment during Saturday's 2-1 win against Crystal Palace when Jose Mourinho was set to give 17-year-old striker Dominic Solanke his Chelsea debut.

It was close to the 90th minute, and warming up on the touchline were Solanke and John Obi Mikel. Both players got the call to return to the dugout and started jogging back.

Didier Drogba emerged, but before Solanke could take his seat the Ivorian took him by the arm, pointing back down the touchline and instructing him to continue his warm-up with him.

In fact, it was more a pep talk than anything, as the veteran passed on his knowledge to the young pretender with a word in the ear. Elderly advice, we can assume.

The call came from Mourinho, as it had done with Mikel a few moments earlier. Back Solanke went to take instruction from assistant manager Steve Holland on what his role would be for the next few minutes, flipping through tactical charts.

History was all set to be made. A new chapter was to begin.

Then Fraizer Campbell scored to make it 2-1, and in an instant the tactics changed. Chelsea needed to ensure they would close the game out for all three points, and youth was swiftly replaced by experience, Drogba instead being given a cameo role.

Chelsea held out, completing the job, but for Solanke...well, his afternoon had been ruined.

However, with a mini injury crisis sweeping through Stamford Bridge right now, the 17-year-old may not have to wait too much longer for his chance in the first team.

Diego Costa's hamstring troubles mean he will miss his second game in succession when Maribor visit west London in the Champions League this week. Mourinho has also confirmed Ramires, Andre Schurrle and Mikel will also be unavailable, per ChelseaFC.com.

Chelsea have strength in depth, but suddenly the names of youngsters like Solanke and Nathan Ake are cropping up in their manager's thinking.

"Nathan Ake doesn't have experience but is ready," Mourinho said in his pre-Maribor press conference, hinting the young Dutch midfielder will get his second start of the campaign.

He also confirmed Solanke would be on the bench.

"He is 17 years old with a long way to go, but the talent and personality are there," Mourinho added, per the club's website.

"He is working with the academy and working with me. At the moment one of my fears in the football world with young players is not when they are in the club, it is when they are not in the club, but if the people that surround him when he is not in the club help us to complete our work, he will be a fantastic player.

It was high praise indeed for two players who have been on the radar for some time. Along with Lewis Baker and Izzy Brown, they are the big hopes of the emerging talent in the Chelsea academy.

Normally it's the Capital One Cup where such opportunities are afforded players, yet fate seems to be dealing these youngsters a different hand—a better one.

When their chance comes, they need to take it, seize the day and show Mourinho he is right to rate them so highly.

Ake has done that to some degree. His performance in the Capital One Cup against Bolton Wanderers last month belied his youth. He looked confident, assured and, above all else, like he belonged.

Regardless of the opposition on Tuesday, playing in the Champions League is a different beast altogether. It either makes or breaks a player; there is nothing in between.

When we consider the greats of the game and how they emerged, it was the big European nights that announced their arrivals.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the face of the Champions League in more recent times. Since their late teens they have embraced the competition, and their legends have been born from it.

It's too early be discussing the likes of Ake and Solanke in those terms, although they are being gifted an opportunity that cannot be wasted.

There aren't going to many more times this season when a glut of injuries will be so forthcoming at Chelsea.

Carpe diem, boys. The time is now.

Vote for Garry Hayes as the best established football writer in the 2014 Football Blogging Awards: http://bit.ly/VoteGDH

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes