Frank Lampard’s side will be hoping to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad on the weekend, but their trip to Spain won’t, by any means, be an easy fixture for the young team. Should they take all three points however, they'll have one foot in the last 16 for the first time since 2018.
Valencia have been on an inconsistent run of form, winning only two of their last five league games as they sit tenth in La Liga. The Spanish team managed to beat the Blues 1-0 at Stamford Bridge during the first matchday of the competition, getting Lampard’s Champions League campaign off to a bad start.
But will Chelsea be able to get revenge for their home defeat? Here’s 90min’s preview of the match.
Where to Watch
| When Is Kick Off? | Wednesday 27 November |
| What Time Is Kick Off? | 17:55 (GMT) |
| Where Is it Played? | Mestalla Stadium, Valencia |
| TV Channel/Live Stream? | BT Sport 3 |
| Referee? | Felix Zwayer |
Team News
Antonio Rudiger and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are still out of the squad due to long-term injuries and neither will be ready for the game against Valencia.
Callum Hudson-Odoi is also a doubt for Lampard, after missing out of Saturday’s fixture against Manchester City with a hamstring problem. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s other injury concern involves Ross Barkley who also missed out of the weekend clash, as well as pulling out of the England squad over the international break.
In terms of his starting XI, Lampard will have a few decisions to make after the Blues’ defeat on Saturday. The head coach could opt for Reece James over Emerson, following the left back's disappointing performance against City at the weekend – switching Azpilicueta to the left side as James takes over on the right.
On the other hand, the Spanish side also have their fair share of injuries with Cristiano Piccini, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Francis Coquelin, Mouctar Diakhaby and Rubén Sobrino all ruled out for Wednesday’s match. Denis Cheryshev is expected to make a comeback later this month, but the left winger won’t be ready for the Champions League clash.
Predicted Lineups
| Valencia | Cillessen; Wass, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya; Torres, Parejo, Soler, Lee; Gomez, Rodrigo |
| Chelsea | Kepa; James, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Jorginho, Kante; Willian, Mount, Pulisic; Abraham |
Head to Head Record
Chelsea hold the upper hand against Valencia, having won three games against the Spanish side whilst drawing another three in their previous seven meetings.
However, their most recent clash saw the Blues lose 1-0 against Valencia in the comfort of their own home, as Los Ches picked up three points from their first Champions League game of the campaign.
Recent Form
Since that devastating loss in West London, Lampard’s side have found their momentum with a superb run throughout the Premier League, seeing them sit comfortably in fourth place, seven points above Wolves.
Therefore, their narrow 2-1 defeat against reigning champions Manchester City on Saturday wasn’t a significant blow for the Blues – but they’ll be hoping to come away with a different outcome on Wednesday, having picked up a mixed of results from the Champions League so far, including that 4-4 draw against Ajax earlier this month.
Valencia have also gained a mixture of results within the competition, bagging four goals against Lille in a 4-1 victory against the French side while losing 3-0 to Ajax in October.
However, their form in the league sees them sit tenth in the table, with their most recent loss coming against Real Betis.
Here’s how both teams have performed in their last five games.
| Valencia | Chelsea |
| Real Betis 2-1 Valencia (23/11) | Man City 2-1 Chelsea (23/11) |
| Valencia 2-0 Granada (09/11) | Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace (09/11) |
| Valencia 4-1 Lille (05/11) | Chelsea 4-4 Ajax (05/11) |
| Espanyol 1-2 Valencia (02/11) | Watford 1-2 Chelsea (02/11) |
| Valencia 1-1 Sevilla (30/10) | Chelsea 1-2 Manchester United (30/10) |
Prediction
Due to Valencia’s unpredictability and both team’s urgency to take hold of the win, the game could be extremely close. The Spanish side were able to win against Chelsea last time round at the Bridge and a second league fixture away from home could prove difficult for Lampard.
However, Chelsea are a different team to when they took on Valencia back in September and as long as they put in the work, they could just about run away with the win.
Prediction: Valencia 1-2 Chelsea
Source: 90min
