Team
news, stats and prediction as Chelsea host Lille in the Champions League.
Team news
Antonio Rudiger is ready to return from a groin problem for Chelsea's
Champions League clash with Lille at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Fikayo Tomori has a minor hip complaint so will miss out, paving the way for
fit-again Germany defender Rudiger to make his first appearance since
September.
Olivier Giroud misses out again, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is still sidelined
with his long-term heel issue.
Swansea loanee Renato Sanches is expected to start for Lille, but former
Chelsea forward Loic Remy may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Timothy Weah, the son of former Chelsea striker George Weah, is a long-term
absentee with a leg injury.
Defender Adama Soumaoro is also set to miss out with a thigh problem while
Reinildo faces a late test on an ankle injury.
State of play
Chelsea are still in contention for qualification from Group H along with
Ajax and Valencia, who play each other in the final game.
Ajax are currently top of the table by two points and are in prime position
to qualify. Chelsea will need to win against Lille to ensure their place in
the knockout stages or a draw could also send them through if Valencia lose
to Ajax.
Should Chelsea and Valencia finish on the same number of points, the Spanish
side will make it to the last 16 with a superior head-to-head record.
Opta stats
Chelsea and Lille's only previous competitive meeting in any competition
came in October of this season's Champions League, with the London club
earning a 2-1 win.
Chelsea have only lost one of their eight previous home games against French
sides in the Champions League (W4 D3), although that was their last such
fixture, a 1-2 loss to PSG in March 2016.
Lille's only win in six away games at English sides across all European
competitions came at Aston Villa in the Intertoto Cup in August 2002 (2-0) -
they have failed to score in each of their other five such matches in
England (D1 L4).
If Chelsea qualify to the knockout stages following this game, Frank Lampard
will be the first English manager to progress a team from the Champions
League group stage - having taken charge of all six group games - since his
uncle Harry Redknapp with Spurs in 2010-11.
Lille have taken just one point in the Champions League this season (W0 D1
L4) - under the current group stage format, the only French side with fewer
in a single campaign in the competition was Marseille in 2013-14 (0).
Chelsea are winless in their last five Champions League games at Stamford
Bridge (D4 L1); their longest run without a win in the competition on home
soil.
Chelsea have had eight different goalscorers in the Champions League this
season - excluding own goals, no team have had more than the Blues coming
into this final group stage matchday.
Lille have scored with just 3.9 per cent of their shots in the Champions
League this season (3/78). Coming into MD6, only Galatasaray (2.3 per cent)
have posted a lower shot conversion rate in the competition this term.
Willian has scored 10 goals for Chelsea in the Champions League, while a
goal in this game would make him their outright fourth-highest scorer in the
competition, behind Didier Drogba (36), Frank Lampard (23) and Nicolas
Anelka (12).
Victor Osimhen has netted two of Lille's three goals in the Champions League
this season, although both games he has scored in have ended in defeat (1-2
vs Chelsea and 1-4 vs Valencia).
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
Chelsea just need a win really. I see this being a bit like the Liverpool
match [against Red Bull Salzburg]. You can end up forcing it and caught up
in the emotions of it.
I think the young heads will be OK though and I see Chelsea getting there,
but I don't see this happening until later on in the contest.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
top