Chelsea mark their return to the Champions League under new manager Frank Lampard with a home tie against Spanish side Valencia on Tuesday, September 17.
Valencia and Chelsea have been drawn in the Group H alongside Ajax and Lille.
- Champions League 2019/20 season
- Chelsea VS Valencia
- Venue: Stamford Bridge
- Date: Tuesday 17th September
- Time: 8pm BST
It’s the third time the Blues have come up against the Spanish side in the group stages. In the 2007/08 season, Chelsea reached the final in Moscow, only to be beaten on penalties by Manchester United after John Terry’s infamous slip.
Four years later, during the 2011/12 season, the Blues finally won the Champions League by beating Bayern Munich in their own back yard.
Therefore, both times Chelsea have been put in a group with Valencia, they have reached the final.
Valencia have been left in disarray with Albert Celades taking charge of the team of their heavy 5-2 defeat to Barcelona on Saturday.
The Blues, meanwhile, are looking good after an emphatic victory by the same scoreline against Wolves at Molineux.
Team News
The biggest uncertainty for Lampard is the fitness of N’Golo Kante. Antonio Rudiger picked up a minor injury and will miss the game. Callum Hudson-Odoi could return to the squad, while Ruben Loftus Cheek remains sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury.
Valencia appear to be keeping their team relatively similar if their Barcelona Xi is anything to go by. That means Kevin Gameiro is likely to start up front alongside Rodrigo, with a four-man midfield.
