Sports Mole preview Wednesday’s Champions League game between Zenit St. Petersburg and Chelsea, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Champions League owner Chelsea will try to take first place with an away win against Group H. Zenit Saint Petersburg on Wednesday evening.
The hosts are meanwhile already qualified for the Europa League after a 1-1 draw against Malmö last time guaranteed third place in the group.
Game preview
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For the third time in a row, Zenit St. Petersburg were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage, but this time they failed to bottom out after taking four points from their game against Malmö basement club.
Russian giants have beaten CSKA Moscow 2-0 away since last month’s draw in Sweden, before drawing 2-2 at home against FC Rostov last Friday. Hour mark.
Sergei Semaks team remain leaders in the Russian Premier League, two points ahead of Dynamo Moscow, which will compete next on Sunday. While one eye will certainly be on this highly anticipated league game, Zenit is now turning its attention to the battle against Chelsea, which will be their 200th game in a European competition – making only the second Russian team to do so reached this milestone after Spartak Moscow.
Zenit’s only previous duel against the Blues was in Group H’s opening game earlier this season, when they lost 1-0 to a 69th-minute header at Stamford Bridge Romelu Lukaku.
After frustrating Chelsea for a long time in London, the men at Semak are hoping to repeat their feat and get a more positive result this time around to end their group campaign on a climax.
Wednesday’s game marks the third time Zenit have hosted an English team in Europe and they are looking to take their third straight win after beating Bradford City 1-0 in the Intertoto Cup 2000 and Liverpool 2-0 that season 2012-13 have defeated Europa League.
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Chelsea’s twelve-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end last weekend when they lost the lead twice with one goal and lost 3-2 away to London rivals West Ham United.
Despite a 2-1 lead at halftime thanks to a Thiago Silva Header and a diamond Maurerberg Volley, punches in the second half of Jarrod Bowen and Arthur Masuaku – catch the latter Edouard Mendy Unprepared in the 87th minute with a wrong cross – ensured that the Hammers went off with all three points.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel said after the game that “individual mistakes” crept into their recent performances, conceding five goals in their last three games, as many as in the last twelve in all competitions.
The Blues have now slipped to third place in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Manchester City, and as much as they may be to get back to the top, their main focus is now on the final Champions League group game on Wednesday in Russia.
Chelsea have accumulated 12 points from their five Group H games and taken four wins, 10-0 aggregate, with their only away game against Juventus in September when they lost 1-0. The Blues retaliated against the Italian giants last month, celebrating a 4-0 triumph at Stamford Bridge, which meant a win on Wednesday would guarantee their place at the top of the group.
Tuchel’s side have won each of their three away Champions League games against Russian opponents and could be the first English team since Sir. will Alex FergusonManchester United’s 2003-04 and 2010-11 to win four straight games in the competition while keeping a clean sheet.
Zenit St. Petersburg Champions League form:
Zenit St. Petersburg Form (all competitions):
Chelsea Champions League form:
Chelsea form (all competitions):
Team news
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Zenit central defender Dmitri Chistjakov is suspended after receiving a red card in the Malmo draw last month so is a midfielder Wilmar Barrios could move into the back three on the side Dejan Lovren and Yaroslav Rakitskiy.
Goalkeeper had to goalkeeper after knee surgery late last month Stanislav Kritsyuk is set on the sidelines for a longer period of time, with Mikhail Kerzhakov to start again between the sticks.
Iranian star Sardar Azmoun will hope he can make his way into the first XI, whatever the offensive trio Malcom, claudinho and Artem dzyuba They are expected to keep their places in the starting XI.
Chelsea will do without Ben Chillwell (ACL), Trevor Chalobah (paralyze), N’Golo Kante (Knee) and Matteo Kovacic (Thigh) due to an injury.
Kai Havertz and Marcos Alonso will be unlikely even after being sent off in the defeat at West Ham with corresponding ankle and back problems.
The absence of Chilwell and Alonso could see both Saul Niguez or Reece James made a start as a left full-back; the potential inclusion of the latter would likely see César Azpilicueta brought into the first XI as the right winger.
Ruben Loftus cheek could be his fourth start in a row in central midfield alongside Jorginhowhile either Lukaku or Timo Werner They are expected to lead the line of scrimmage.
Zenit St. Petersburg possible starting line-up:
Kerzhakov; Barrios, Lovren, Rakitskyj; Karavaev, Kuzyaev, Wendel, Santos; Malcom, Dzyuba, Claudinho
Chelsea possible starting line-up:
Mendy; Christensen, Silva, Rüdiger; Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, James; Berg, Ziyech; Lukaku
We say: Zenit St. Petersburg 0-2 Chelsea
Even if Zenit will be firing for the Champions League title, Chelsea will have more to do on Wednesday evening to win the group.
Tuchel should name a strong team at the Krestovsky Stadium that should have enough quality to get all three points.
Top tip
Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com forecast less than 3.5 goals in this game. Click here to see what else they are predicting for this game and more about their proven soccer tips.Under 3.5: data
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