Chelsea vs Sevilla Preview: Blues look to kick off UCL campaign in style

Chelsea will be hoping to get their 2020\21 Champions League venture off to a perfect start when they host Sevilla tomorrow night.

Big summer additions - including an old hand from last-years final in Thiago Silva - have inevitably heightened expectations beyond a round of 16 finish that the London outfit have experienced in their last four campaigns.

The SW6 outfit was one of the victims of Bayern Munich's Champions League charge last season- with the reminiscence of their 2012 triumph over the German side proving to be nothing more than a memory- as the eventual winners battered the Blues 7-1 across two legs.

Meanwhile, Spanish opposition Sevilla will sight a continuation of their European success from August when they claimed a record sixth Europa League title.

Following their latest success in the continents secondary competition, they have shown they can match Europe's elite on more than one occasion; having lost narrowly to The Bavarians in the Quater Finals of their last Champions League adventure in 2018/19, as well as last months UEFA Super Cup final.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides, who have won the lastest additions of the Europa League between them.

Recent results

Both teams will enter the fixture off the back of disappointing domestic results- with more individual defensive mistakes costing Frank Lampard's side the lead twice in a 3-3 draw against Southampton while Julen Lopetegui's men suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Granada on Saturday.

League position

7th Chelsea- 8 points
10th Sevilla- 7 points

Current form (all competitions)

Chelsea- LWDLWD
Sevilla- LWWDL

Champions League form

Chelsea- WDDWLL
Sevilla- DDDWLD

Team news

Chelsea will remain Edourad Mendy-less for the fixture as the Senegalese international sustained a thigh injury whilst away on international duty, so Lampard will have to decide whether to keep Kepa Arrizabalaga in between the sticks- who despite making some keys save was partially at fault for the error that led to Che Adam's equaliser- or bring in more experienced hands in Willy Caballero.

Defender Silva will be made available for selection after missing the draw against the Saints because of travel issues, while Hakim Ziyech could make a start after returning from injury as a substitute on Saturday.

While Reece James is also expected to be given the nod at right-back ahead of club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, with the Englishman enjoying his first senior Three Lions call-up last week.

As for Los Nervionenses, French centre-back Jules Kounde is out of the clash having tested positive for coronavirus, so summer arrival Karim Rekik is likely to make his debut alongside Diego Carlos, although Sergi Gomez did start at the weekend.

Lopetegui is expected to make changes from the side that started that lost on Saturday, with key attackers Luuk de Jong and Lucas Ocampos both expected to return.

Predicted line ups

Chelsea- 4-2-3-1

Kepa Arrizabalaga; Reece James, Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Ben Chilwell; Ngolo Kante, Jorginho; Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic; Timo Werner

Sevilla- 4-3-3

Yassine Bounou; Jesus Navas, Karim Rekik, Diego Carlos, Marcos Acuna; Ivan Rakitic, Fernando, Joan Jordan; Lucas Ocampos, Luuk De Jong, Suso.

Predicted score

Defensive frailties and attacking dynamism has all the ingredients for an entertaining game in the English capital.

Although Timo Werner's and Kai Havertz' connection continues to blossom after they both opened their Premier League accounts at the weekend, Chelsea remain as brittle at the back- especially with Kepa returning to the squad.

And with Sevilla establishing themselves a dominate European force, a share of the spoils is more than a fair result.

2-2 the final score.