Team
news and stats ahead of Krasnodar vs Chelsea in the Champions League group
stage on Wednesday; kick-off 5.55pm.
Team news
Thiago Silva will miss Chelsea's Champions League trip to Krasnodar, having
been rested by boss Frank Lampard, with Antonio Rudiger back in contention
to play.
Rudiger was named in Lampard's matchday squad for the first time this season
for Saturday's 0-0 draw against Manchester United and after positive talks
with his manager, could finally return to the fold.
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga remains sidelined with shoulder trouble, so
academy stopper Karlo Ziger has joined the Blues' 22-man travelling squad.
But Edouard Mendy should start again in goal, having pulled off successive
clean sheets.
Opta stats
This will be first ever competitive meeting between FK Krasnodar and
Chelsea. The Russian side are unbeaten in their previous two games against
English teams in all competitions (W1 D1), with both matches coming against
Everton in the 2014-15 UEFA Europa League.
Chelsea have won five of their six European encounters with Russian
opponents (L1), winning all four UEFA Champions League outings.
FK Krasnodar will compete in their first ever home match in the UEFA
Champions League - none of the previous six Russian sides won their first
home game in the competition (D4 L2).
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 11 away games in European
competition (W7 D3), although lost their last away game versus Bayern Munich
(1-4).
Chelsea mustered just six attempts on goal in their opening UEFA Champions
League match against Sevilla this season, their fewest in a match in the
competition since February 2015 vs PSG (2).
Chelsea drew 0-0 with Sevilla on MD1 of this UEFA Champions League campaign
- only in their debut season in the competition in 1999-00 have they failed
to win either of their first two group stage games in a single campaign.
Chelsea's Kai Havertz has been involved in six goals in his last six games
in European competition (4 goals, 2 assists), though he's failed to register
a single goal involvement in his nine UEFA Champions League appearances so
far.
All seven of Chelsea forward Timo Werner's UEFA Champions League goals have
come away from home - he's the top scorer in the competition to have scored
100% of their goals on the road.
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