Chelsea will look to continue their remarkable run in the Europa League when they welcome Slavia Prague to Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
The Blues have enjoyed a near-perfect campaign so far, winning all but one of their games. Maurizio Sarri's troops have won 10 of their 11 matches so far, with a draw against Vidi the only blemish on their record.
Chelsea havealso won four of their last five matches but were beaten last time out by Liverpool in the Premier League.
Marcos Alonso's goal last week has given them a 1-0 advantage ahead of the second leg and Sarri is expected to name a strong starting XI, with Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante both being introduced in the second half last week.
The former Napoli coach will be without Antonio Rudiger due to a knee injury, with Andreas Christensen set to partner David Luiz. Olivier Giroud is set start in attack, while Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi could get the nod on the flanks.
Chelsea will need another strong performance, with Slavia catching the eye last week. They currently lead the way in the Czech Republic and have not struggled on their travels, scoring six goals in their last two games in the competition.
Slavia boss Jindrich Trpisovsky is set to recall midfielder Tomas Souchek after he missed the first leg. However, the Blues are now undefeated in seven matches against opposition from the Czech Republic following last week's success.
The Blues managed a 1-0 lead when the two sides met in their opening encounter. Slavia, who are currently enduring a tough run of fixtures, put up a good fight but were unable to put the ball in the back of the net.
One reason for this may have been the absence of top forward Tomas Soucek who missed the first leg as a result of a suspension. The player is expected to return to action this Thursday night giving Slavia Prague an additional option in attack.
However, no matter who they have in front, they will be up against a team which has won eight straight home Europa League games – their last three to nil.
One major advantage the Czech’s possess though, is their strong away form. In two of their last away games in this competition, Slavia have scored an incredible total of six goals. With the away goal rule still in force, we may see things get interesting at the Bridge.
In the end though, the Blues should have enough quality to progress into the next round. Chelsea may be coming into this game on the back of a disappointing 2-0 loss to Liverpool however, with a star-studded squad to their disposal, anything short of a convincing win simply won’t do.
The recommendation is simple – Chelsea to win and both teams to score at the current price of 5/2.
Recommendation
Chelsea to win and both teams to score – 5/2 888Sport
53'
Chelsea v Slavia Prague
The Blues have enjoyed a near-perfect campaign so far, winning all but one of their games. Maurizio Sarri's troops have won 10 of their 11 matches so far, with a draw against Vidi the only blemish on their record.
Chelsea havealso won four of their last five matches but were beaten last time out by Liverpool in the Premier League.
Marcos Alonso's goal last week has given them a 1-0 advantage ahead of the second leg and Sarri is expected to name a strong starting XI, with Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante both being introduced in the second half last week.
The former Napoli coach will be without Antonio Rudiger due to a knee injury, with Andreas Christensen set to partner David Luiz. Olivier Giroud is set start in attack, while Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi could get the nod on the flanks.
Chelsea will need another strong performance, with Slavia catching the eye last week. They currently lead the way in the Czech Republic and have not struggled on their travels, scoring six goals in their last two games in the competition.
Slavia boss Jindrich Trpisovsky is set to recall midfielder Tomas Souchek after he missed the first leg. However, the Blues are now undefeated in seven matches against opposition from the Czech Republic following last week's success.
Betting Tips
PaddyPower Pre-Match Odds: Chelsea 3/10, Draw 7/2, Slavia Prague 9/1
The Blues managed a 1-0 lead when the two sides met in their opening encounter. Slavia, who are currently enduring a tough run of fixtures, put up a good fight but were unable to put the ball in the back of the net.
One reason for this may have been the absence of top forward Tomas Soucek who missed the first leg as a result of a suspension. The player is expected to return to action this Thursday night giving Slavia Prague an additional option in attack.
However, no matter who they have in front, they will be up against a team which has won eight straight home Europa League games – their last three to nil.
One major advantage the Czech’s possess though, is their strong away form. In two of their last away games in this competition, Slavia have scored an incredible total of six goals. With the away goal rule still in force, we may see things get interesting at the Bridge.
In the end though, the Blues should have enough quality to progress into the next round. Chelsea may be coming into this game on the back of a disappointing 2-0 loss to Liverpool however, with a star-studded squad to their disposal, anything short of a convincing win simply won’t do.
The recommendation is simple – Chelsea to win and both teams to score at the current price of 5/2.
Recommendation
Chelsea to win and both teams to score – 5/2 888Sport
Chelsea - Last 5 Matches
Slavia Praha - Last 5 Matches