Key events
Enzo Maresca speaks to Amazon Prime. “[Estêvão] is doing well since he joined us … he is ready for tonight … we try to use different players … everything starts with the gameplan … they are all good players … we expect to have some space in behind … [Barcelona] are a fantastic team … quality players … all over … they work all together … they defend well … always create chances … we go game by game … after tonight we start to think about Arsenal [in the Premier League this weekend].”
Chelsea make five changes to their starting XI after the 2-0 win at Burnley on Saturday. Moisés Caicedo, Estêvão, Alejandro Garnacho, Wesley Fofana and Malo Gusto come in for João Pedro, Andrey Santos, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Tosin Adarabioyo, all of whom drop to the bench.
Barcelona have plenty of goals in their starting XI. Ferran Torres leads the way with nine so far this season, while Robert Lewandowski has eight, Fermín López seven, and Lamine Yamal six. Marcus Rashford (six) and Raphinha (three) must make do with the bench.
The teams
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Estevao, Fernandez, Garnacho, Pedro Neto.
Subs: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Joao Pedro, Hato, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Buonanotte.
Barcelona: Joan Garcia, Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde, Eric Garcia, de Jong, Yamal, Lopez, Torres, Lewandowski.
Subs: Szczesny, Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Christensen, Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Bernal, Dro Fernandez, Bardghji.
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia).
Preamble
For some, the modern rivalry between Chelsea and Barcelona will forever be defined by this …
… and for others by this …
… but whichever way you prefer it, more often than not it delivers. Goals! Memories! Drama! Throw in Chelsea’s record of scoring in each of their last 19 European games, Barcelona finding the net in their last 24 Champions League fixtures, the fact that none of Chelsea’s last 52 European fixtures have finished 0-0, and the stat of Barca’s last 20 Champions League games producing an average of 4.8 goals per 90 minutes, and this promises to be a doozy. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT, and if by pointing out all of this, we’ve tempted the Football Gods into serving up a rare stinker, then we’ll make our apologies after the game. It’s on!
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