Chelsea
Chelsea vs Ajax preview | Confirmed team news | Expected line-up’s | Predicted score
This is our match preview ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Ajax at Stamford Bridge including team news, line-ups and prediction
Chelsea are back in Champions League action tonight as they welcome Ajax to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues warmed up for the game with a 2-1 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday evening which cemented their place in the top four of the Premier League table.
However, it’s European matters at hand tonight as Chelsea look to secure a win over Ajax that would severely boost their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Frank Lampard’s side currently sit joint top of Group H with Ajax on six points following their narrow 1-0 victory in Amsterdam two weeks ago but with Valencia just two points behind Chelsea need a win this evening to stay on course for the knockouts.
Team news
Chelsea have been handed a major boost ahead of the game as N’Golo Kante has been passed fit to return to the squad after recovering from a groin injury that’s hampered him for the past month.
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Ross Barkley is back in training after recovering from an ankle injury while Andreas Christensen is also training again following a month out with a thigh problem. However, Lampard may not risk them from the start tonight.
Antonio Rudiger remains out as he’s gone to see a specialist to help cure a niggling groin injury while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is still working his way back from an Achilles injury.
Marcos Alonso is pushing for a recall at left-back while Michy Batshuayi, Olivier Giroud, Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also hoping to feature if Lampard decides to freshen things up in attack.
Expected line-ups
Ajax XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Veltman, Blind, Tagliafico; Alvarez, Martinez; Neres, Van de Beek, Ziyech; Tadic
Predicted score
Chelsea 1-1 Ajax: Chelsea were perhaps fortunate to come away with a win in Amsterdam as the match could very easily have gone the other way on a different night. Ajax are a top class side and they’ve never lost an away Champions League match in England [W1 D3 L0]. Chelsea have also been hugely inconsistent at Stamford Bridge this season so I think this will be a tough game for the Blues. Both sides need a positive result to stay clear of Valencia but I think Chelsea may have to settle for a point tonight.
