Chelsea vs Barcelona stay updates: Champions League recreation group information, predictions and extra – The New York Instances

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Chelsea host Barcelona at Stamford Bridge immediately because the Champions League returns.
Enzo Maresca’s aspect want to bounce again after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Qarabag final trip, whereas Barcelona want to do the identical after a 3-3 draw away to Membership Brugge.
Chelsea and Barca each have seven factors from their 4 Champions League video games this season, so sit simply outdoors the automated knockout qualification locations.
We gained't be seeing Cole Palmer within the Chelsea line-up this night, however at the least followers can see him locked in an ice dice outdoors Stamford Bridge!
Enzo Maresca isn’t any stranger to having his talisman unavailable, so can be ready to cowl his absence.
Barcelona, in the meantime, might properly have Marcus Rashford and Raphinha again within the beginning XI collectively.
We'll know in just below 20 minutes which gamers have made the lower, so stick to us!
It has been a lengthy time coming for Barcelona followers to see their gamers out on the Camp Nou pitch, so it was solely proper they marked it with a convincing 4-0 win.
The stadium is a way off being completed however 45,157 folks received their fingers on a ticket to see the renovation and a convincing win, multi functional.
Laia Cervello Herrero was there for The Athletic to pick all the important thing particulars concerning the long-awaited return — you may take a look at her piece beneath.
GO FURTHER
Barcelona’s Camp Nou return: Tears, fears and hope ultimately after 909 days away
Nonetheless simply over an hour and a half earlier than kick-off at Stamford Bridge, however there are two different Champions League matches happening proper now.
In Amsterdam, Ajax's European woes are persevering with as they path Benfica halfway by the primary half due to Samuel Dahl's early aim.
Over in Istanbul, it’s nonetheless goalless between Galatasaray and Union St. Gilloise.
Any weekend that features Barcelona successful and Actual Madrid dropping factors is an efficient one for Barca followers, so that they loved their Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Hansi Flick marked their return to Camp Nou with a giant win, a 4-0 thumping of Athletic Membership. Robert Lewandowski scored inside the primary couple of minutes earlier than Ferran Torres added a second aim on the stroke of half-time.
Fermin Lopez put the outcome past any practical doubt inside three minutes of the restart and Torres scored once more proper on the finish to rubber stamp it.
He didn't play within the win in opposition to Burnley and, as we talked about earlier, Cole Palmer isn’t obtainable immediately both.
Enzo Maresca delivered a health replace on the England worldwide yesterday and reassured followers that Palmer can be again “quickly” — regardless of the actual fact he has been sporting a protecting boot.
💬 “We don't know when he can be again however for positive it will likely be quickly. He’s already on the pitch, he's already touching the ball and the sensation (for him) is sweet.
“I don’t suppose he can be obtainable for these two video games (Barca and Arsenal), however he’s doing properly.”
It was a very good begin to the weekend for Chelsea as they gained on their Premier League travels to the north west.
It wasn't as convincing as they may have appreciated in opposition to promoted Burnley, however they received the all-important win. Pedro Neto opened the scoring with a neat end within the first half and Enzo Fernandez secured the factors with a strike of his personal within the 88th minute.
It was a outcome that took Chelsea into second and that’s the place they stayed after Manchester Metropolis have been crushed Newcastle later within the day.
No person can accuse Chelsea of not getting their cash’s price from Moises Caicedo.
Since arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion for a then British-record price of £115million ($150m on the present fee) in August 2023, Caicedo has grow to be their group’s metronome: key in constructing assaults, screening the defence, and dictating issues in midfield.
This season, in accordance with fbref.com, he’s additionally their joint-top scorer with 4 targets throughout all competitions, has gained extra tackles than any team-mate (26) and has had the second-most touches of all Chelsea gamers (1,016, a hair behind Trevoh Chalobah on 1,018).
The one query left to ask about Caicedo is the best way to make this final.
Chelsea have no idea who their subsequent scorer — which is each good and dangerous.
Winger Pedro Neto, midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and Joao Pedro, who has usually performed as centre-forward fairly than No 10 in Liam Delap’s absence, are Chelsea’s high scorers with 4 every. Neto and Joao Pedro are the one forwards with a couple of league aim. Moises Caicedo has scored three, Trevoh Chalobah two, and 6 different gamers have one.
Who will get on the rating sheet? Enzo Maresca and Chelsea followers may not know however for now, it’s not hindering them an excessive amount of.
As for Barcelona, additionally they encountered a difficult away journey of their final Champions League outing in Belgium.
They wanted a late Christos Tzolis personal aim to make sure they picked up a attract a 3-3 thriller in opposition to Membership Brugge.
Barcelona’s different targets got here from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal, whereas Brugge received on the rating sheet by way of Nicolo Tresoldi and a Carlos Forbs brace.
It was a tough journey to Azerbaijan for Chelsea within the final spherical of Champions League matches, as they have been held 2-2.
Regardless of Estevao firing them forward within the first 16 minutes of the match, Enzo Marescca’s aspect discovered themselves behind after targets from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic.
In the long run, they wanted Alejandro Garnacho to step up with a second half aim to rescue some extent on a difficult evening.
There can be loads of English soccer followers eager to get a glimpse of Marcus Rashford again on these shores and, after an sickness dominated him out of the weekend's win in opposition to Athletic Membership, he has recovered for tonight's recreation.
There’s excellent news, too, concerning Raphinha after he returned to motion over the weekend, being launched from the bench within the 4-0 win.
Frenkie de Jong was suspended for that match however is accessible tonight, leaving Pedri (hamstring), Gavi (knee) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen because the absentees.
Chelsea have been dealt a blow final week as Cole Palmer, who was closing in on a return to health, sustained one other harm setback by fracturing his toe.
The England midfielder was concentrating on tonight's go to of Barcelona for his first recreation again, however will miss this and Sunday's Premier League conflict in opposition to Arsenal.
Palmer has missed their final 11 video games on account of a groin drawback and broken the little toe on his left foot colliding with a door at dwelling.
The opposite gamers unavailable for Chelsea this night are Romeo Lavia (thigh), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Levi Colwill (knee).
It hasn't been the best begin to this season's Champions League for Chelsea and Barcelona, who sit subsequent to one another within the league desk.
They’ve each gained two matches, drawn one and misplaced the opposite, so are a part of a six-team cluster on seven factors. That isn't sufficient for an computerized knockout qualification place so, because it stands, each groups can be a set for a spot within the knockout play-offs.
However they’ve 4 extra video games to interrupt into that all-important high eight.
And one other 9 Champions League video games come your means tomorrow night.
The choose of them is, undoubtedly, the conflict between Arsenal and Bayern Munich, which we can be protecting stay proper right here on The Athletic.
5:45pm
Pafos vs Monaco
Copenhagen vs Kairat
8pm
Olympiacos vs Actual Madrid
Sporting vs Membership Brugge
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta
Liverpool vs PSV
Atletico Madrid vs Inter
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
PSG vs Tottenham
All instances BST
9 video games on the way in which within the Champions League this night — right here they’re:
5:45pm
Ajax vs Benfica
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
8pm
Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus
Napoli vs Qarabag
Marseille vs Newcastle
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Chelsea vs Barcelona
Manchester Metropolis vs Bayer Leverkusen
Slavia Prague vs Athletic Membership
All instances BST
Stamford Bridge, London
The stands are crammed up in opposition to the pitch and there’s no respiration room for gamers who are usually not up for the event.
There gained't be a spare seat in the home tonight, so it must be a cracking ambiance for an additional huge Champions League evening.
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In the meantime Arsenal are main the title race within the Premier League, whereas there may be all the time loads of jeopardy within the Champions League.
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Right here is the place you may tune into the motion stay, relying on the place you’re on the earth:
The standard night kick-off slot for this one. That's 8pm (BST) native time and 9pm in Barcelona.
For these of you Stateside, it’s 3pm (ET) on the east coast and 12pm (PT) on the west.
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