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Champions League

Sevilla v Chelsea: Champions League predictions, free tips and TV details

Cagey affair looks on the cards with Group E honours on the line

Frank Lampard's Chelsea can't afford a defeat if they are to advance as group winners
Frank Lampard's Chelsea can't afford a defeat if they are to advance as group winnersCredit: Steve Bardens / Getty Images

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Sevilla v Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Under 2.5 goals
1pt 19-20 Betfair

Team news

Sevilla
Number one keeper Yassine Bono has tested positive for Covid-19, so Tomas Vaclik is set to start in goal. Sergio Escudero and Suso are carrying knocks and wing-back Marcos Acuna is ruled out.

Chelsea
Christian Pulisic came off the bench in the 0-0 draw with Tottenham and is in line for a start with Frank Lampard set to name his strongest line-up. Billy Gilmour is the only confirmed absentee.

Match preview

Sevilla and Chelsea have already booked their tickets for the Champions League knockout stages, but there is still plenty at stake at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium with top spot in Group E the likely prize for the winner.

Both teams have collected ten points from their four group games but Frank Lampard’s Chelsea have a goal difference five better than their Spanish counterparts and are in pole position to finish at the summit.

With a home meeting against Krasnodar bringing the curtain down on their Champions League group campaign, avoiding defeat in Seville should be enough for Chelsea to progress to the last 16 as group winners.

Given the rewards, the teams are not likely to throw caution to the wind early on, making a low-scoring affair more likely.

That was the case in October’s battle at the Bridge when the pair cancelled one another out in a goalless game starved of clear-cut chances.

That 0-0 draw featured just 11 shots and it was the game in which Edouard Mendy established himself as Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper with a smart late save from a Nemanja Gudelj header.

Since then Chelsea have played eight matches in all competitions and they have highlighted their new-found defensive resoluteness with six clean sheets.

The Blues have also played out goalless draws with Manchester United and Tottenham in the Premier League this season and another big game may see them opt for a careful approach before finding opportunities to capitalise on their quality on the break.

Sevilla are finding their feet after a slow start to the season and Saturday’s narrow 1-0 league triumph at Huesca extended their winning run in all competitions to five games.

Sevilla are a team whose platform for success is built around a disciplined defence and they have played six home matches in all competitions this season, with four of those contests featuring just one goal.

The hosts possess real quality in midfield with former Barcelona man Ivan Rakitic slotting in alongside Fernando and Gudelj, but they can’t boast the same weapons as Chelsea in attack and Lopetegui will be wary of that.

However, the draw is far more beneficial for Chelsea than it is for Sevilla, so Lampard may not be prepared to take many risks.

Key stat

Three of Sevilla's last eight Champions League matches have ended as goalless draws.


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Aaron AshleyRacing Post Sport

Published on 1 December 2020inChampions League

Last updated 17:32, 1 December 2020

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