Chelsea return to Champions League action on Wednesday evening as they welcome Pafos FC to Stamford Bridge, competing in their fourth different competition in as many matches during a relentless mid-season schedule.
The Blues head into the contest sitting just outside the automatic last-16 places, while Pafos remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff berth in what has been a surprisingly competitive maiden Champions League campaign for the Cypriot side.
Milestones continue to stack up for newly-appointed Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior, who is set to experience his first Champions League night with the club after already navigating debuts in the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Prior to Enzo Maresca’s abrupt departure, Chelsea endured a mixed start to their European campaign, picking up three wins, one draw and two defeats from their opening six league-phase matches. Their most recent outing proved particularly painful, as they fell to a late 2-1 defeat away to Atalanta BC on matchday six.
Dropped points against Bayern Munich and Qarabag have left the Blues in 13th position, but the congested nature of the table means they are still very much in the race, sitting only three points behind third-placed Paris Saint-Germain. Crucially, all of Chelsea’s Champions League setbacks this season have come away from home.
Stamford Bridge has once again proven a fortress in Europe. Chelsea have already beaten Barcelona, Ajax and Benfica on home soil this term and are now unbeaten in 17 UEFA group-stage or league-phase matches at the ground. They have also found the net in 21 consecutive European fixtures, a run they extended with a controlled 2-0 Premier League win over Brentford at the weekend, just their second victory in eight matches across all competitions.
Pafos, meanwhile, have exceeded expectations in their first Champions League adventure. Only four points behind Chelsea in the table, Albert Celades’s side have demonstrated that they are far from passengers at this level.
The Cypriot outfit share the same number of defeats as Chelsea and have already taken points from Villarreal, Monaco, Olympiacos and Kairat. A shock 1-0 victory over Villarreal in November was the standout result, while three hard-earned draws have kept them within touching distance of the playoff places.
Pafos currently sit 26th in the standings, just one point behind Copenhagen in the final knockout spot. However, consistency remains elusive. They suffered a surprise 2-0 domestic defeat to Olympiakos Nicosia at the weekend, leaving them five points adrift of league leaders Omonoia Nicosia, albeit with a game in hand.
Their European away form is a major concern. Pafos are yet to score a Champions League goal on the road and now face their first-ever meeting with an English club, making them clear underdogs at Stamford Bridge.
Injuries & Suspensions
Chelsea were dealt a fresh blow in their win over Brentford, as centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo was forced off with hamstring tightness and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.He joins Mykhaylo Mudryk, who remains unavailable due to a doping ban, along with Romeo Lavia and Levi Colwill, who are both out injured. Enzo Fernandez is a major doubt after falling ill, but Malo Gusto, Estevao Willian and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens are all back in contention.
Given the strength of the opposition, Rosenior may see this fixture as an opportunity to rotate. Youngsters and squad players such as Josh Acheampong, Jorrel Hato, Andrey Santos and Tyrique George are all pushing for starts.
Pafos have injury problems of their own, particularly in defence. Former Chelsea centre-back David Luiz may miss a reunion with his old club after being forced off injured just 12 minutes into the weekend defeat. His replacement, David Goldar, was also withdrawn with a physical issue, while attacker Joao Correira was similarly unable to complete the match.
Those setbacks could leave Celades short of options at the back, with Derrick Luckassen likely to partner makeshift centre-half Bruno Langa in central defence.
Possible Starting Lineups
Chelsea:Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; George, Pedro, Gittens; Delap
Pafos FC:
Michail; Bruno, Luckassen, Langa, Pileas; Pepe, Sunjic, Quina; Dragomic, Silva, Orsic
Expert Prediction
Chelsea 4-0 Pafos
