Chelsea commence the defense of their Champions League title in about 36 hours when they welcome Zenit St. Petersburg into Stamford Bridge for group stage action. In fact this will likely be their easiest group stage game, at least on paper.
So it’s the perfect way to ease into European action, and it’s also the first competitive meeting between the two sides, ever. Let’s take a look at who Blues boss Thomas Tuchel will and won’t have at his disposal for this one.
Chelsea FC vs Zenit St. Petersburg Champions League Group Stage FYIs
Kickoff: Tue Sept 14, Stamford Bridge, 8pm
Chelsea UCL Title Prospects Analysis: go here
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction: go here
TV/Streaming: BT Sport, Paramount+
Odds: Chelsea win: 1/6 Draw: 11/2 Zenit win: 16/1
Chelsea Team News
Captain America, winger Christian Pulisic remains out due to the ankle injury he sustained against Honduras in World Cup qualifying. But he’s expected to not be out too much further beyond this match. Meanwhile midfielder supreme N’Golo Kante is a doubt to an ankle problem as well.
The Frenchman has not played since the Liverpool match.
Sticking to the midfield, Jorginho is expected to return to the starting lineup, having begun on the bench in the win over Aston Villa.
Prediction: Chelsea 3, Zenit St. Petersburg 0
You’ve seen the form that the west London side are in currently in…and thus they should almost certainly cruise in this one.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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