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Up to date 2m in the past<\/span>
Chelsea<\/a> host Barcelona<\/a> at Stamford Bridge right this moment because the Champions League<\/a> returns.<\/strong>
Enzo Maresca\u2019s facet 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.
I discussed that Maresca has needed to get used to life with out Palmer in the previous couple of weeks, however he doesn't fairly appear to know who his finest deputy is.
Within the final two Premier League matches, he has opted to fit Joao Pedro in behind Liam Delap however Enzo Fernandez was the person within the No. 10 function earlier than that \u2014 and the Argentine scored from that place after being moved there in Saturday's win away to Burnley.
Fernandez performed the remainder of the sport in one of many No. 8 positions as Moises Caicedo was given a well-earned relaxation. The Ecuadorian will nearly actually slot again in tonight, so which will push Fernandez ahead once more.
We received't be seeing Cole Palmer within the Chelsea line-up this night, however a minimum of followers can see him locked in an ice dice outdoors Stamford Bridge!
Enzo Maresca isn’t any stranger to having his talisman unavailable, so will probably be ready to cowl his absence.
Barcelona, in the meantime, might effectively have Marcus Rashford and Raphinha again within the beginning XI collectively.
We'll know in slightly below 20 minutes which gamers have made the minimize, so follow us!
It has been a lengthy <\/em>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 powerful 4-0 win.
The stadium is a way off being completed however 45,157 folks bought their palms on a ticket to see the renovation and a convincing win, multi function.
Laia Cervello Herrero <\/em>was there for The Athletic <\/em>to select all the important thing particulars in regards to the long-awaited return \u2014 you’ll be able to try her piece beneath.
GO FURTHER
Barcelona\u2019s Camp Nou return: Tears, fears and hope finally 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 because of Samuel Dahl's early purpose.
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 jiffy earlier than Ferran Torres added a second purpose on the stroke of half-time.
Fermin Lopez put the end result past any reasonable 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 towards Burnley and, as we talked about earlier, Cole Palmer just isn’t out there right this moment both.
Enzo Maresca delivered a health replace on the England worldwide yesterday and reassured followers that Palmer will probably be again \u201cquickly\u201d \u2014 regardless of the very fact he has been carrying a protecting boot.
\ud83d\udcac \u201cWe don't know when he will probably be again however for certain will probably be quickly. He\u2019s already on the pitch, he's already touching the ball and the sensation (for him) is sweet.<\/em><\/strong>
\u201cI don\u2019t assume he will probably be out there for these two video games (Barca and Arsenal), however he’s doing effectively.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>
It was begin to the weekend for Chelsea as they received on their Premier League travels to the north west.
It wasn't as convincing as they could have favored towards promoted Burnley, however they bought 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 end result that took Chelsea into second and that’s the place they stayed after Manchester Metropolis have been overwhelmed Newcastle later within the day.
No one can accuse Chelsea of not getting their cash\u2019s value from Moises Caicedo.
Since arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion for a then British-record charge of \u00a3115million ($150m on the present charge) in August 2023, Caicedo has turn out to be their workforce\u2019s metronome: key in constructing assaults, screening the defence, and dictating issues in midfield.
This season, in keeping with fbref.com, he’s additionally their joint-top scorer with 4 objectives throughout all competitions, has received 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 way to make this final.
Chelsea have no idea who their subsequent scorer \u2014 which is each good and unhealthy.
Winger Pedro Neto, midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and Joao Pedro, who has usually performed as centre-forward quite than No 10 in Liam Delap\u2019s absence, are Chelsea\u2019s high scorers with 4 every. Neto and Joao Pedro are the one forwards with a couple of league purpose. 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 won’t know however for now, it’s not hindering them an excessive amount of.
As for Barcelona, in addition they encountered a tough away journey of their final Champions League outing in Belgium.
They wanted a late Christos Tzolis personal purpose to make sure they picked up a attract a 3-3 thriller towards Membership Brugge.
Barcelona\u2019s different objectives got here from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal, whereas Brugge bought on the rating sheet through 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\u2019s facet discovered themselves behind after objectives from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic.
In the long run, they wanted Alejandro Garnacho to step up with a second half purpose to rescue some extent on a tough night time.
There will probably 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 towards 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 obtainable 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 focusing on tonight's go to of Barcelona for his first recreation again, however will miss this and Sunday's Premier League conflict towards Arsenal.
Palmer has missed their final 11 video games as a result of a groin downside and broken the little toe on his left foot colliding with a door at house.
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 received 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 automated 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 will probably be overlaying stay proper right here on The Athletic<\/em>.
5:45pm<\/strong>
Pafos vs Monaco
Copenhagen vs Kairat
8pm<\/strong>
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<\/em>
9 video games on the best way within the Champions League this night \u2014 right here they’re:
5:45pm <\/strong>
Ajax vs Benfica
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
8pm<\/strong>
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<\/em>
Stamford Bridge, London<\/strong>
The stands are crammed up towards the pitch and there’s no respiratory room for gamers who are usually not up for the event.
There received't be a spare seat in the home tonight, so it ought to be a cracking ambiance for an additional massive Champions League night time.
There actually isn’t any higher time to enroll to The Athletic.<\/em><\/strong>
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In the meantime Arsenal are main the title race within the Premier League, whereas there’s all the time loads of jeopardy within the Champions League.
And should you didn't already know, we’ve got protection of extra sports activities than you’ll be able to shake a stick at, so be sure that to get entangled now.
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Recreation Particulars<\/p>\n

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