Category: Champions League

Chelsea wrap up their Champions League group this week, as they face Atletico Madrid in the final European clash before Christmas. The Blues have nothing to worry about on the qualification front, as a 4-0 win over Qarabag sealed their progress to the next round. However, Antonio Conte will have his side focused on finishing top of the pile, which could be vital in the next round. The way the Champions League is shaping up this season, the Premier League champions would likely have PSG and Barcelona among their three options for last 16 opponents if they finish second. Obviously that isn’t ideal, and not just because it would likely result in yet another trip to Paris.

Chelsea’s hopes of progression in this competition rely on recording a strong finish to this group. Roma are at home to Qarabag, meaning Atletico Madrid have next to no chance of going through. That also means that the Italians are heavy favourites to take three points in their final game and jump top of the group, unless Chelsea can claim a victory at Stamford Bridge this week. When you take into consideration that Conte is yet to have a truly successful European campaign as a manager, there’s a lot riding on this game for the home side, so can they repeat their impressive win in Madrid in the reverse encounter?

Team News: Chelsea set for Defensive Switch to Claim top Spot

Chelsea went to Anfield recently with a switch to their usual big game formation. Conte has moved to a 3-5-1-1 formation for meetings with top sides, using it to trouble Man City and win against Tottenham. It was also deployed in the first meeting with Atleti, which worked perfectly against the La Liga side. We fully expect that approach to be wheeled out once again here, denying space to the visitors. That may make this a very cagey game. However, that is something that they’ll need to get used to if they are to progress in this competition.

Atletico are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 system for their meeting with Chelsea, with former Blue Fernando Torres set to start up front. The Spaniards don’t have much width in their side, but they do have Antoine Griezmann in attack to cause problems. He struck from the penalty spot in the meeting in Madrid, and the Frenchman will be a thorn in the side of Chelsea’s defence. However, their system does appear to play in to the hands of any kind of three-man defence that the Blues can play, as they’re likely to be outnumbered across all the main areas of the pitch.

Atletico Madrid Form

Atletico Madrid remain shy of the title race in Spain, being overtaken by Valencia in the push for top spot. As things stand, they face a battle just to return to the Champions League next season, and they’re already set for a drop into the Europa League this term. While their results in La Liga have been solid but uninspiring, things have been going much worse for Diego Simeone’s side in continental competition.

They head into this trip with just one win in the Champions League this term. That victory came at home to Roma last time out, which kept them in contention for a place in the next round. However, that wasn’t enough to give the Spaniards a serious chance of qualifying, as they need a miracle result for Qarabag away to Roma to get through this group. Having dropped four points against the group minnows, it’s easy to see where Atleti have gone wrong in this campaign.

Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Head to Head

Chelsea’s victory at Atletico earlier this season was held up as one of the great performances by an English side in Europe. It was a big defeat for the Spaniards, as they lost their opening Champions League game at their new stadium. That victory was a small dose of revenge, given that Chelsea have lost out to Atletico in a Champions League semi-final and the UEFA Super Cup in recent encounters.

• Atletico Madrid 1-2 Chelsea, Sep 2017
• Chelsea 1-3 Atletico Madrid, Apr 2014
• Atletico Madrid 0-0 Chelsea, Apr 2014
• Chelsea 1-4 Atletico Madrid, Aug 2012
• Atletico Madrid 2-2 Chelsea, Nov 2009

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win – 11/10 with Bet365
• Chelsea to win 1-0 – 7/1 with BetVictor

Chelsea come in to this game as 11/10 favourites with Bet365 to take all three points this week. The visitors are coming in to this game as the outsiders, priced at 12/5 with Ladbrokes to boost their slim qualification hopes with a victory this week. Meanwhile, the draw is 5/2 with Betfred, which is a tempting price in a match that we’re fully expecting to be very close. However, a point doesn’t really suit either side, so will we eventually get a winner?

Chelsea’s system may just tactically stump Atletico, especially if the Blues crowd can push them forward. Atletico’s back four could be pulled out of position by ingenuity in attack from the Pensioners, while having three men in the centre of defence and midfield should see the Premier League champions dominate this game. The Blues need to get over the line to have any chance of making a strong run in Europe, as they simply aren’t going to have the momentum to take on one of Europe’s elite next. Conte needs a more straightforward draw in the next round too, so he’ll be pushing his side to get a victory here. We’re backing a Chelsea win at 11/10 with Bet365.

We can still see this game being a close one, with chances likely to be slim for either side. We don’t expect a high scoring encounter, and we think there’s a lot of value in backing a 1-0 win for the hosts, at 7/1 with BetVictor.

Chelsea return to Champions League action on Wednesday, with a slightly earlier 5pm kick off. That’s because the Blues head East out to Azerbaijan, as they aim to book a spot in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition. A strong run in Europe is going to be a key demand for the Blues this season, following their year out of this tournament last season, and the dismal way in which they exited the competition during the 2015/16 campaign. Can the 2012 European champions make another impressive run in this competition, or will Antonio Conte continue to disappoint on the European stage?

The Italian boss hasn’t got a great record when it comes to guiding side through the latter stages of the Champions League, he never took Juventus too far in this competition despite their domestic dominance. That’s something Conte is out to change, but it really depends on which version of his Blues side shows up for this game. Will they play like they did in their brilliant 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid, or the awful 3-0 defeat Rome last month? If they’re going to make it through this group, then the Blues need to be back to their best here and pick up all three points. Qarabag have improved in Europe of late, so they need to be taken seriously.

Team News: Conte Needs to Switch Approach from Group Opener

One thing is for certain here, Antonio Conte can’t use the same approach that he did for the home meeting with Qarabag. He rotated his side for the clash at Stamford Bridge, with a very much second string Chelsea side taking the Azerbaijani side apart with a 6-0 victory. The scoreline didn’t quite reflect the game ultimately, but things have changed quite a bit since then. With Chelsea second in the group and Qarabag taking two points from two meetings with Atletico Madrid, the Blues have to revert back to their strongest line up for this clash on Wednesday. Expect a full-strength team to take the field here, as Chelsea look to seal their place in the last 16.

We can’t see any reason why Qarabag would make any changes to the side which caused Atletico Madrid so much trouble in their recent encounters. They also tested Roma in their home game, so that 6-0 loss to Chelsea is a real outlier in their results in Europe this season. Qarabag have proven themselves to be a solid side at this level, and we expect them to name a similar side to the one which held Atletico, and they’re likely to give Chelsea a real test in this trip.

Qarabag Form

The hosts have impressed in the Champions League of late, while they’re on course for more domestic success. They’re top of the league in Azerbaijan, and they should extend that lead with a game in hand on the chasing pack. However, the Champions League is the big thing for them this season, given that they’re the first ever Azerbaijani side to play at this level in the Champions League. Can they follow that up by being the first to pick up a group stage victory?

If Qarabag are to win a game in this group, you’d expect that they’ll be targeting their final home game to pick up that victory. After some impressive displays in Europe, the hosts must be full of confidence ahead of this week’s meeting with Chelsea. Qarabag managed to draw 1-1 at Atletico Madrid last time out, following up a hard-fought 0-0 at home. Can they cause a similar shock against Chelsea in their final home game of this European campaign?

Qarabag v Chelsea Head to Head

The only meeting between these two was that 6-0 victory back in September. Obviously Qarabag’s lack of a European track record means they’ve missed out on big Champions League clashes, with these two clubs operating within different worlds. However, we expect this week’s clash to be a much closer affair.

• Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag, Sept 2017

Betting Tips

• Both Teams to Score – 21/20 with Bet365
• Chelsea to win 2-1 – 8/1 with BetVictor

Chelsea are heavy favourites here despite Qarabag’s recent European results, with the Blues priced at 2/5 with Coral to take the points and move into the next round. Meanwhile, the hosts can be backed at 15/2 with Ladbrokes, as they search for a first win in this group. Having drawn their last two games, the Azerbaijan side will be out for another point against the English champions, especially after stopping a side like Atletico Madrid. You can back another draw for the group’s smallest side at 7/2 with Betfred. Obviously there’s not much value there in backing the Chelsea win, but we think this game will be closer than the odds make out.

The Blues should be worried about the increased confidence of the hosts here. In the first meeting at the Bridge Qarabag were finding chances, they just lacked the cutting edge to see them through. However, we don’t expect that to be the case here, especially after landing blows against the two other top sides in this group. Having scored away to Atleti and at home to Roma, we expect Qarabag will be more confident when it comes to burying their chances here. We expect them to grab a goal against the Blues, so our first tip here is both teams to score at 21/20 with Bet365.

We’re also backing a 2-1 win for Chelsea in this trip, as we see them having more fluidity up front than Atletico. The Spaniards have been struggling for goals across this European campaign, but the Blues should have enough cutting edge to take the win they need to maintain their push for top spot. Given that Qarabag lost 2-1 at home to group leaders Roma, that correct score bet looks like great value at 8/1 with BetVictor.

Chelsea face a tough trip to Rome on Tuesday night in the Champions League. After playing out a draw at home to the Serie A side from the Italian capital, the Blues head for Italy, as Antonio Conte returns to his home country. Will he make as big an impression there as he did in the Spanish capital earlier in this group? With Roma seriously pushing for a top two finish, this group is heading down to the wire, and that should have both sides nervy ahead of this huge clash. With the Blues not in the greatest form in the league, they can’t afford a slip up in Europe.

It’s easy to bemoan the position Chelsea are in following that 3-3 draw with Roma. They were 2-0 up and cruising, set to go seven points clear of Atletico Madrid, and five ahead of Roma. Chelsea now lead the Italians by two points, and the worst case scenario here is a loss to the hosts coupled with Atletico Madrid seeing off minnows Qarabag. That would leave Antonio Conte’s team in a tricky position heading into the final two games, and that would leave this group open for any of those three European heavyweights. There’s so much riding on this one, so the Blues need another big display.

Team News: Conte out to Avoid any Defensive Scares

The return of Danny Drinkwater is a boost for Chelsea, after he started the EFL Cup win over Everton. With N’Golo Kante back in the frame, Conte has midfield options once again. That boosts his potential use of the 3-5-2 formation, as seen against Tottenham, Man City and Atletico Madrid this term. We’re likely to see that team once again, as the manager looks for a more solid set-up to the one which conceded three at home to Roma in the last meeting. That’s a smart move to make with so much on the line in this game, and we expect to see the former Leicester central midfield line-up working together for the Blues in the near future. However, this game might come a little too soon for that.

Roma’s big injury concern here is midfielder Rick Karsdorp, who misses out after injuring his knee. Having just moved to the club in the summer, the defender hasn’t really had the chance to shine for his new employers. Despite that, he would have been a solid figure for Roma to call upon, and now they have more defensive concerns to worry about ahead of this crucial tie. Expect a similar side to the one which held off Atletico Madrid in their group opener, which set the Italians up for a solid campaign in this competition.

Roma Form

Roma have seemingly been preparing for this game with some tight matches, having given up attacking sides who tend to defend poorly. They beat Torino and Crotone by an aggregate score of 2-0, with those two sides conceding their fair share of goals over recent months. However, Roma were solid in both, grinding out much needed victories. Will that be the case once again on Tuesday night?

Roma have been solid in Serie A this season, while their Champions League form has been an odd mix. They started off with a 0-0 at home to Atletico, a genuinely tight game with really high stakes. They followed that up by looking poor at the back against Qarabag away, before that clash with Chelsea. Eusebio Di Francesco will be hoping for a better performance when his side return home in Europe.

Roma v Chelsea Head to Head

Roma have now scored three in both of their last two meetings with Chelsea, although those matches were separated by nine years, and many, many Chelsea mangers. It remains to be seen just how much of an impact their 3-3 draw will have on this game, but the two managers probably have to just start fresh and try and be more solid here.

• Chelsea 3-3 Roma, Oct 2017
• Roma 3-1 Chelsea, Nov 2008
• Chelsea 1-0 Roma, Oct 2008

Betting Tips

• Under 2.5 Goals – 5/4 with BetVictor
• 0-0 Draw – 13/1 with Betfair

Despite throwing away two points in the first meeting, Chelsea come into this trip as marginal favourites. They’ve been priced up at 13/8 with Bet365 to claim the win. Roma are 17/11 with Ladbrokes. With the draw sitting at 12/5 with Betfred, it’s clear that the bookmakers are a tad confused by this one. Just how the two sides approach it will clearly have an impact on matters, but will we see another high scoring tie? The two sides will both be pushing for a place in the knockout round, but could that have an adverse effect on the match overall?

Roma did have a cagey opener with Atletico, and we can see them reverting to that form in this game. While the last meeting was a six goal thriller, you have to wonder how Roma would have approached it if they were level at half-time. They didn’t do anything to deserve to be 2-0 down in that clash, and they only really opened up because they had to. They were welcomed in with open arms by the Blues’ backline, with a shambolic defensive display that can’t happen again.

You have to ask if the game gets on a bit, will there be another 0-0 on the cards for Roma? They’ve been playing with more restrictions in the league of late, and we expect Conte to instruct his men to keep things tight against them. We’re backing under 2.5 goals in this game, which looks like solid value at 5/4 with BetVictor. We’re also liking the look of a 0-0 draw between the two sides, which can be backed at 13/1 with Betfair. With so much on the line, a really low scoring tie seems likely in our book.

Chelsea have taken six points from six in the Champions League, leaving them in a great position ahead of this clash with Roma. However, their weekend loss to Crystal Palace means the Blues need a response this week, with the Italians likely to smell blood after the Premier League champions lost to the league’s worst side. There certainly are issues for Antonio Conte to deal with, chief amongst them being the absence of N’Golo Kante in midfield. Will that continue to plague him, or can the Blues get a win here?

The Palace result clearly irked Conte, as it should have done. This was a massive blow for the champions, who have already dropped enough points at home this term. That defeat means some are already talking about switching focus to the Champions League, with the Manchester clubs seemingly running away with the Premier League title. If that is the case, then Conte needs his men to claim a victory here. Losing at home to Roma would open this group up again, undoing the good work Chelsea did by claiming a win in Madrid.

Team News: Conte Likely to Race Back Morata

While Alvaro Morata had little history of being a regular starter before his move to Chelsea, he’s proving to be a key member of the side. His absence was felt against Palace on Saturday, and that’s partly why Conte is seemingly racing him back to fitness to get him in to the team this week. While that’s a risk, the Blues do need the Spanish forward fit and firing if they’re to have a strong campaign. They also need Kante, but his absence means that Tiemoue Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas are the only two fit central midfielders once again.

Roma have quite a few issues up front ahead of this game, with Stephan El Shaarawy, Patrick Schick and Gregoire Defrel all missing out in attack. They are more hopeful over defender Rick Karsdorp and midfielder Kevin Strootman, who are both likely to return to fitness ahead of this game. Roma tried out a 4-2-3-1 formation in their clash with Napoli at the weekend, which saw Nadja Nainggolan pushed forward. That came after criticism over their 4-3-3 formation and the manager’s reluctance to divert from it. We are likely to see them revert back to a three man midfield for a clash of this magnitude.

Roma Form

Like Chelsea, Roma are sat fifth in their domestic league ahead of this game. The Blues are looking to deliver a blow to the Italian’s hopes of making the Champions League knockout round, with the Giallorossi worrying about their future place in this competition. Serie A is developing into a competitive battle for four Champions League spots this year, with Napoli, Juventus, Lazio and the two Milan clubs all in the mix. It’s not just the Premier League that has a big six, with both of these two slightly worried that they face a battle just to return to the Champions League next season. Given that both missed the group stage last year, they won’t want to miss out again.

Roma’s Champions League hopes were dealt a blow on Saturday, as they lost 1-0 to league leaders Napoli. The Giallorossi did push the high flying leaders close in that encounter, but it ultimately wasn’t enough for them to stop the Partenopei. It was quite similar to how the Blues lost at home to Man City recently, managing to subdue the flow of such an attacking side, without fully stopping them. Roma have five wins from seven in Serie A so far, after a win and a draw in this group, they do pose a threat.

Chelsea v Roma Head to Head

Chelsea’s two goals against Roma in their 2008 Champions League group were both scored by John Terry. The Blues finished behind Roma in that group, with that season ending with the controversial semi-final loss to Barcelona. That’s the only recent encounter between these two, and a rematch has been a long time coming.

• Roma 3-1 Chelsea, Nov 2008
• Chelsea 1-0 Roma, Oct 2008

Betting Tips

• Both teams to score – 8/11 with BetVictor
• Chelsea and over 3.5 goals – 16/5 with Ladbrokes

Chelsea come into this game as 4/6 favourites with Coral, despite their weekend slip. The Blues are expected to take the three points, with the draw priced at 3/1 with Bet365. You can also back an away win at 9/2 with Betfred, which shows how Roma are already being written off. Their previous form in this competition is likely to play a role in that, as is the nature of their away win in Azerbaijan. While they saw off Qarabag, that performance was far from convincing, which can be said about many of their matches under new boss Eusebio Di Francesco. Can the club from the Italian capital end those criticisms with a result in London on Wednesday?

With Roma playing well at times this season, they have a great chance of taking advantage of Chelsea’s defence. The Blues haven’t been defending well for a while now, and Conte’s insistence on playing anyone over Andreas Christensen doesn’t help that. The Blues shipped two goals to a Palace side who hadn’t scored all season, so there’s obviously some kind of issue there. Roma have a solid attack, which includes former Man City forward Edin Dzeko. We see the Blues getting at least a goal, but they’re also likely to slip up at the back. Both teams to score is our main tip at 8/11 with BetVictor.

Roma’s recent record in the Champions League isn’t great. In their away ties in their last group campaign they conceded three each at Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona and BATE. We see them struggling at the back once again, so we’re backing Chelsea to edge a high scoring encounter. We’re going with Chelsea and over 3.5 match goals here, which is priced at 16/5 with Ladbrokes.

Atletico Madrid play their first Champions League game in their new stadium on Wednesday, in a game laced with undercurrents. The Blues are tough opposition for the side who made the final in 2016, while there are quite a few comparisons to be made between the two managers. Both are brilliant entertainment value on the touchline, and seeing them together should make for fascinating viewing. With the pair gunning for top spot in the group, just who will edge this tie?

Not only is this one of the highest profile games in the Champions League this week, it comes days after the two struck a deal for Diego Costa. The forward is heading back to Spain for a fee of over £50 million, ending the long running transfer saga between the two. That seems like the best move for all parties, as there’s no need to keep Costa around Cobham causing trouble, and he can’t really just stay in Brazil. The question is, will he appear at Atletico’s European housewarming, or will he serve his former side?

Team News: Conte could revert to Wembley roadmap for this crunch clash in Europe

Chelsea should take this game more seriously than they did against Qarabag in the last European game. Expect the Blues to be at full-strength for this one, as they can’t afford a defeat in this huge tie. Getting a result here would be massive for their hopes of progressing, and we can see Conte switching things up. The 3-5-2 set up he used against Tottenham at Wembley seems like it could be really useful in this trip. The Blues could start with a three-man centre midfield to dominate space and hopefully possession, with Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata providing the threat going forward. That set up should help to frustrate the Spaniards, and it could be a crucial switch for their European campaign if Conte does go that way.

Atletico can’t register players until January, so Diego Costa will play no part in this Champions League group stage campaign. Accommodating him in their current set-up will take time, so it probably helps Atletico to not rock the boat at this stage. They’re not likely to make that many changes, with a relatively settled starting line-up. That includes full-back Filipe Luiz, who played for Chelsea during the 2014/15 title winning campaign.

Atletico Madrid Form

Atletico Madrid have started the season with a few low scoring games, so it’s easy to see why they wanted Costa. They drew 0-0 with Roma in their opener in this group, which wasn’t the worst result. The Serie A side are a threat to both of these two, with Atletico desperate to make another push for the Champions League after coming so close in recent seasons.

Atletico remain unbeaten heading in to this clash, but can they add to that against Conte and Chelsea? The hosts have plenty of Champions League experience at their disposal, and they’ve made enough attempts to win this competition to show that they’re a really dangerous side in Europe, as the Blues found out in 2014 against Diego Costa and co.

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea Head to Head

Chelsea haven’t enjoyed the best of times against Atletico Madrid of late. Their semi-final exit in 2014 was the last time the Blues featured at the latter stages of the competition. The Blues came up short in the UEFA Super Cup to Atleti in 2012, while the last time these two met in the group stage was 2009, when the Madrid side were a completely different animal.

• Chelsea 1-3 Atletico Madrid, Apr 2014
• Atletico 0-0 Chelsea, Apr 2014
• Chelsea 1-4 Atletico, Aug 2012
• Atletico 2-2 Chelsea, Nov 2009
• Chelsea 4-0 Atletico, Oct 2009

Betting Tips

• Under 2.5 Goals – 8/13 with bet365
• Draw – 9/4 with BetVictor

Atletico Madrid are favourites ahead of their first Champions League game at their new stadium, as they’re 15/13 favourites with Ladbrokes to take the points. Meanwhile, Chelsea can be backed at 13/5 with Betfred, while the draw is priced up at 9/4 with BetVictor. With a tight game expected, you might think the Blues are a little too big at that price, and we think there’s certainly value in going with Chelsea on the double chance market at 4/6 with Coral. That’s even more tempting if Conte does set up as we’ve predicted, looking to take a point from this game and then switching focus to the home meeting down the line.

Roma set a benchmark in their opening clash with Atletico. The Italians may have been at home in that clash, but they were as compact as the Spaniards, with the two struggling to create an opening. With those two sides and a Chelsea team who are so focused on positional play and preventing the opposition getting space, most matches in this group could go in that direction. We can chances being thin on the ground this weekend, and we’re not going to be backing goals in this clash. We think the value here can be found in backing under 2.5 goals, which is priced at 8/13 with Bet365. Given how the hosts set up, and the prestige of this occasion, we expect it to be a cagey affair.

We’ve already said that we think Chelsea could get something here, especially if they set up to frustrate. With two crunch meetings with Roma coming next, the Blues have little option other than to try and hold off last season’s semi-finalists this week. They can’t afford a defeat going in to those two vital matches against the Serie A side, while a point would give them a boost in a difficult away trip. We don’t see Chelsea doing enough to take all three points here, so going with the double chance isn’t exactly worthwhile. Instead we’re backing the draw in this one, which is available at 9/4 with BetVictor.

Chelsea return to the Champions League this week, with Qarabag the visitors to Stamford Bridge. Can the Blues kick off their return to Europe with a victory? Having steadied the ship after an awful start to the season, the Blues will be hopeful of a strong season in Europe, although they don’t exactly have the squad depth to compete across all four fronts. After a season absence at this level, Antonio Conte has to be focused on getting the champions off and running in Europe, especially given that the Italian badly needs some success on the continent this term.

Conte’s time at Juventus saw them win three league titles after the club had dropped to mid-table before he arrived. While they dominated in Italy, they struggled for results in the Champions League. The season after the manager departed, Juve reached the Champions League final under Max Allegri. He’s taken Juve to the final twice since 2015, so Conte needs to prove himself among Europe’s elite this season. Kicking off with a game at home to Qarabag seems to be the perfect chance for Conte and co to get a win on the board, with much tougher challenges coming in this really tricky group.

Team News: Rotation possible with heavy schedule looming

Ahead of the transfer deadline, Antonio Conte warned of the dangers lurking within Chelsea’s schedule. They have seven games in three weeks of September, so there’s going to be need for some rotation. While the EFL Cup clash with Nottingham Forest is a prime contender for that, this game is also a chance for Conte to make a few changes. He could rest a couple here, with Eden Hazard likely to need a break after returning to the side at the weekend after a long layoff. Given the level of Chelsea’s coming opponents, we can see a weakened team taking the field here, with a changed side surely still good enough to take the points at home to Qarabag.

With new signings Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta on board to help with squad depth, both could feature here. The pair have international experience, and should be able to step up to this competition after their deadline day moves. Michy Batshuayi is another who could feature, after making a few appearances since the start of the season. Alvaro Morata won’t be able to feature across all of the Blues’ games this month, so we’re expecting a change up top from Conte.

Azerbaijani side Qarabag are made up with a real mesh of nationalities alongside a few homegrown players. They tend to line up in a 4-3-3 formation on Europe, but they could change that ahead of one of the biggest clashes in their history, if not the biggest. Taking on Chelsea is a huge leap for the visitors, and they might make a few sacrifices up front in order to try and keep things tight here.

Qarabag Form

While Chelsea’s campaign is only just getting underway, this is the furthest Qarabag have ever made it in this competition. They managed to knock out Copenhagen in the last round, becoming the first ever Azerbaijani side to make it to the group stage of the Champions League. That’s a massive landmark in itself, but how will they fare in their opener?

The visitors have managed to win their opening three games domestically, so it’s been a strong start overall from Qarabag. They’ll be out to make an impression in this competition, but they have a tough task after the draw. Their form may be impressive so far, but it doesn’t suggest they can take a result from Chelsea, Atletico Madrid or Roma in this group.

Chelsea recent Champions League results

With no head to head record to go through, we’ve cast an eye back over Chelsea’s recent European results. The last Champions League game at Stamford Bridge was a 2-1 defeat to PSG in 2016, and that’s a result the Premier League champions will want to reverse. Their 4-0 win over Maccabi is more in line with what we expect here, with the hosts heavy favourites for the points.

• Chelsea 1-2 PSG, Mar 2016
• PSG 2-1 Chelsea, Feb 2016
• Chelsea 2-0 Porto, Dec 2015
• Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-4 Chelsea, Nov 2015
• Chelsea 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv, Nov 2015

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 3/5 with BetVictor
• Chelsea with a -2 handicap – 11/10 with Betfair

Chelsea will be glad to have a straightforward return to Europe, as they’re 1/10 with Coral to take the points in this game. You can get odds of 8/1 with Betfred on the draw here, while Qarabag are 20/1 with Bet365 to get the victory and cause a massive shock. While the Blues lost to Burnley in their first home league game of the season, we can’t see them suffering an even bigger collapse in this game. They should live up to their pre-match odds.

Given Chelsea’s price, we think seeking something a little longer is prudent and the hosts are well priced to win this game to nil. They’re 3/5 with BetVictor to win and keep a clean sheet, and we’ve already said that we see the away side playing defensively here. We don’t expect Qarabag to come out on the attack, and Chelsea should easily deal with any threats they do face. A home win to nil does seems like great value given the gulf between the pair, so it’s our first tip here.

With such a gulf in class between these two sides, we can see a big win for the Blues this week. They should be out to send a message on their return to the big time, and playing a side with little European experience should help the Premier League champions race to a big victory. We’re backing Chelsea with a -2 goal handicap, at 11/10 with Betfair.