'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea will be gunning for top spot when they travel to Zenit for their final Group H fixture on Wednesday night.
The Blues currently sit at the top of their Champions League group but are level on points with second-placed Juventus. Chelsea need to match or better Juventus’ matchday-six result to progress to the last-16 as Group H winners.
Under normal circumstances, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea would have been the overwhelming favorites against Zenit St. Petersburg. But playing with a razor-thin squad away from home is hardly straightforward, even for the European champions.
Chelsea will be taking on Zenit without any of their first-choice midfielders. N’Golo Kante is still nursing his knee injury and is far from being match-fit. Jorginho and Ben Chilwell are dealing with a hip issue and an ACL injury respectively. Trevoh Chalobah has a hamstring issue, while freshly-recovered Mateo Kovacic has tested positive for Covid-19.
With so many absentees in the middle of the park, Chelsea will have to bank on a struggling Saul Niguez to add versatility to their play. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Marcos Alonso and Reece James are set to complete Chelsea’s dynamic midfield.
To Tuchel’s relief, Kai Havertz has recovered from a twisted ankle and should be ready to play against Zenit. Romelu Lukaku is also slowly getting into shape but is unlikely to get the nod ahead of Timo Werner. The German has created a strong partnership with Marcos Alonso and arguably deserves the opportunity to see how it plays out.
Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi both deserve a chance to represent Chelsea, and it could swing either way. We are backing Hudson-Odoi to feature in the starting XI and Pulisic to influence the game as a substitute.
Predicted Chelsea XI against Zenit St. Petersburg
GK: Edouard Mendy
Def: Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen
Mid: Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Saul Niguez, Marcos Alonso
Att: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz
While Chelsea are fighting for their fate in Russia, Juventus will take on fourth-placed Malmo at home. Malmo have not managed to win a single Champions League match this season and are unlikely to pose a threat to the Bianconeri.
A win for Juventus would practically force Chelsea to bring maximum points from their trip to Zenit.
