Soccer doesn’t get a lot greater than Barcelona coming to your metropolis, even when it’s “simply” for the league section (née group stage) of the brand new Champions League format. It’s as marquee of a matchup as marquee matchups can get, particularly given all of the (fashionable) historical past between the 2 groups on Europe’s greatest phases during the last quarter century.
So activate the lights, replenish the smoke machines, and queue up that anthem. It’s Chaaaaampions time!
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Each groups are available in with seven factors from the primary 4 video games on this section (Barca’s objective differential is healthier by two). Each groups want to end within the top-eight, to get the bye into the Spherical of 16. Whoever wins this sport could have taken a large step ahead in the direction of that objective.
Date / Time: Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 20.00 GMT; 3pm EST; 1:30am IST (subsequent day)Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6Referee: Slavko Vinčić (on pitch); Christian Dingert (VAR)Forecast: Child, it’s chilly outdoors (and we ain’t bought Chilly)
On TV: none (UK); Univision, TUDN (USA); Sony TEN 2 (India); SuperSport Soccer Plus (NGA); elsewhereStreaming: Amazon Prime (UK); Paramount+; Univision Now (USA); Sony LIV (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Barcelona group information: Barca beat Actual Madrid to the Spanish league title by 4 factors final yr, including a home cup and tremendous cup to their assortment in Hansi Flick’s first yr as head coach. The one disappointment was their inexplicable exit within the semfinals of the Champions League, after some of the dramatic two-legged ties in opposition to Inter Milan (who then promptly bought destroyed within the last by PSG).
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Barcelona’s squad want little introduction, particularly as they underwent comparatively little change over the summer season. Maybe essentially the most notable arrival was of Marcus Rashford, on mortgage from Manchester United, who’s been having fun with his time within the sunshine with six targets to his identify to this point (4 in 4 in Europe), making him one more harmful weapon alongside the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, (briefly Chelsea-linked) Fermín López, and naturally Lamine Yamal. It’s normally Pedri operating the present in midfield, forward of a serviceable protection — any weak point by which is definitely overcome by their super attacking firepower.
Barca haven’t been invincible this season, however aside from a shock loss in Seville in early October, they’ve solely been bested by Actual Madrid and PSG. Pedri suffered an harm in that Actual defeat just a few weeks in the past and he stays out, alongside long-term absentees Gavi and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
View from the enemy:
Chelsea group information: There was transient hope that Cole Palmer may be capable to make his return to motion on this sport, a minimum of off the bench, however that’s now been delayed by a toe harm. He has returned to coaching, as of yesterday, however Enzo Maresca dominated him out from this sport nonetheless.
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Fortunately, aside from Palmer, the squad’s doing comparatively effectively when it comes to accidents. Solely Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo, and Roméo Lavia are out. And we’re additionally comparatively effectively rested, with Moisés Caicedo getting the weekend off and Reece James taking part in solely the primary half in our 2-0 win in opposition to Burnley. Alejandro Garnacho and Estêvão additionally didn’t get any minutes in that sport, which featured a star flip from Andrey Santos and essential contributions from Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, and former Barca prospect Marc Guiu.
These vitality ranges will likely be essential if we’re to get something out of this sport. As we noticed in opposition to PSG (within the Membership World Cup last) and in opposition to Liverpool just a few weeks in the past, after we can flip up the depth to 11, and hold it at 11 (whereas avoiding important errors after all) we will be the perfect group on this planet. And we’re going to must be tonight.
Beforehand: It’s been over seven years since our final (aggressive) encounter, and Barca walked throughout us, 3-0 again then in 2018. However that was a number of soccer generations in the past for either side. General, we now have performed them 17 (17!) instances for the reason that yr 2000, with an nearly completely even 5-6-6 cut up. All 5 of our wins have come at Stamford Bridge, together with certainly one of my favourite video games all-time, the 4-2 win within the Spherical of 16 in 2004-05. That Damien Duff objective lives in my reminiscence as clearly now because it did when it occurred.