Chelsea FC still have both routes back into the UEFA Champions League available to them, and as we head down the stretch of the season here. For the Blues, the odds of getting back in is quite favorable via both avenues (top four finish in Premier League or UEFA Europa League title), but the job is not done yet.
The west London side next heads to the air hub of Europe, Frankfurt Germany, where they will stage the road leg of their semifinal tie against Eintracht Frankfurt. These two teams have yet to meet in any UEFA competition, but the Blues have historically down well against German clubs.
Chelsea has won six of eight against teams from Deutschland, with the 2013 Champions League Final against Bayern Munich obviously standing out from the rest of the body of work.
Let’s take a look at who Maurizio Sarri might go with in his first team here, as he strives to get his side through to the UEL final.
The Bank Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction at Eintracht Frankfurt
Attack: Eden Hazard, Gonzalo Higuain, Pedro
Midfield: Ross Barkley, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante
Defense: Emerson Palmieri, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta
Goalkeeper: Kepa Arrizabalaga
Chelsea FC vs Eintracht Frankfurt (UEFA Europa League semifinal Leg 1/2) FYIs
Kickoff- Thursday May 2, Commerzbank Arena 8pm
Injury report for both clubs: go to this link
Odds via Betfair- Chelsea 13/8, Draw 23/10, Eintracht Frankfurt 7/4
Odds to qualify Chelsea 4/9, Eintracht 17/10
Prediction- Chelsea 3, Eintracht Frankfurt 0
With both English clubs now through to the semi-final round, it seems very likely that one of them will win it all. Maybe we could have a London derby final too!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets:Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.