FC Schalke 04 vs Chelsea @ Veltins-Arena
Tuesday, November 25, 2014 @ 19:45
Chelsea travel to Germany tonight looking for the win which will secure qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League as Group G winners.
The Blues face a Schalke side managed by their old boss Roberto Di Matteo, who guided them to their 2012 Champions League triumph. It is the first time since the Italian’s dismissal from Stamford Bridge that he has come up against them.
Schalke side are unbeaten at home since he took over in October and they will be level on points with Chelsea in Group G if they beat Jose Mourinho’s side.
But Chelsea, who are unbeaten against Schalke, will be boosted by Diego Costa’s return to full fitness and goalscoring form after he netted his 11th Premier League goal in the Blues’ 2-0 win against West Brom at the weekend.
Costa is now fully recovered from the injuries which have hampered his Champions League campaign so far and he will be hoping to score his first European goal for the Blues.
He is likely to be joined in the starting line up by compatriot Cesc Fabregas, who was equally influential in the West Brom victory where he recorded his 10th league assist of the season.
Fabregas scored his first Chelsea goal in the 1-1 draw against Schalke in September at Stamford Bridge.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored the equaliser for Schalke that night and the Dutchman will be the main threat again having scored three times already in the group stages.
A Chelsea victory would result in qualification with a game to spare and the Blues continuing their longest ever unbeaten start to a season.
Star man: Diego Costa
Danger Man: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Previous result: Chelsea 1 (Fabregas 11’) FC Schalke 04 1 (Huntelaar 62’) September 17, 2014
Feature image courtesy of Brent Flanders
