Team
news and stats ahead of Chelsea vs Zenit in the Champions League group stage
on Tuesday; kick-off 8pm.
Team news
N'Golo Kante will miss out with continued ankle trouble but is expected fit
for Sunday's Premier League trip to Tottenham, while Christian Pulisic is
still sidelined with his own ankle problem.
Ben Chilwell has yet to play this season and Thomas Tuchel said the
full-back is "in the race" now with Marcos Alonso so far preferred this
season on the left as a wing-back.
"It's been difficult for him, from a Champions League win, then it was
individually for him a tough Euros because he felt he could have played a
part for England," Tuchel said.
"When I arrived I felt he was mentally tired which is unlucky because Alonso
had a full pre-season. We had some talks with Chilly... He's in the race now
and with a good mental attitude."
Opta stats
This will be the first meeting between Chelsea and Zenit Saint Petersburg in
European competition, while the Blues are unbeaten in six previous games
against Russian sides in the UEFA Champions League (W5 D1).
Zenit Saint Petersburg won their first ever away game against an English
opponent in European competition (3-0 v Bradford City in the UEFA Intertoto
Cup), however they've lost each of their last three trips to England - most
recently against Liverpool in February 2013 in the UEFA Europa League.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 11 group stage games in the UEFA
Champions League (W7 D4), with their last such defeat coming against
Valencia in September 2019. Since the current group stage format was
established from 2003-04, only once have Chelsea had a longer such unbeaten
run in the competition (13 games between 2008 and 2010).
Zenit Saint Petersburg are winless in their last seven UEFA Champions League
games (D1 L6) - their longest run without a victory in their history in the
European Cup/UEFA Champions League. Indeed, they failed to win all six of
their group stage games in the competition last season (D1 L5).
In UEFA Champions League history, the reigning champions have only lost
their first game of the following campaign on two of 27 occasions (AC Milan
in 1994-95 and Liverpool in 2019-20). Of the 18 occasions when the reigning
champions have begun the following campaign with a home game, however, no
side has ever been beaten (W12 D6).
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