Chelsea FC head to Lille for a UEFA Champions League group stage clash in midweek. Neither side has grabbed any points yet in Group H as both teams lost their European opener. Let’s take a look at the FYIs and numbers, news and notes for this one, starting with the injury-plagued visitors.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has plenty of injury concerns in this one, with Antonio Rudiger, Emerson Palmieri and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remaining long term absentees. Additionally, midfielder N’Golo Kante, certainly one of the team’s most important players, missed out on the weekend versus Brighton.
They are hopeful that he’ll recover from his hamstring problem in time to for this clash, but he may not be risked as of yet. Striker Olivier Giroud and central defender Kurt Zouma face last minute fitness tests as both have been battling illnesses this past week.
Lille, who will face Chelsea for the first ever, will be without the services of forward Timothy Weah, who has a severe hamstring tear to recover from. The long term injury absentee is the only fitness concern for LOSC at this point.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction (4-3-3) at Lille (UCL)
Pedro Tammy Abraham Willian
Mateo Kovacic Jorginho Mason Mount
Marcos Alonso Fikayo Tomori Andreas Christensen Cesar Azpilicueta
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Chelsea FC at Lille UCL Group Stage FYIs
Kickoff: Oct. 2, 8pm Stade Pierre-Mauroy
TV: BT Sport 2
Match official: Aliaksiej Kubako
Google’s result probability: 47% Chelsea win, 27% draw, 26% Lille victory
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Lille 1
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.
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