2025-26 UEFA Champions League: League Phase – Chelsea vs Barcelona

Chelsea host Barcelona in a blockbuster league phase clash in 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.

Sat on seven points apiece in 12th and 11th positions coming into this match, victory would lift either Chelsea or Barcelona into the top eight.

 

Team News

Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 2-0 Premier League victory at Burnley.

Romeo Lavia (quad), Cole Palmer (groin/toe), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) are still sidelined.

Barcelona could welcome Marcus Rashford back into contention after he missed their 4-0 La Liga victory against Athletic Bilbao due to illness.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back), Gavi (knee) and Pedri (hamstring) are sidelined.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Chelsea host Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 25 November at 8pm GMT, live on Amazon Prime in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Chelsea have lost one of their last seven Champions League meetings against Barcelona (W1, D5, L1).
• Barcelona have won just one of their last five Champions League trips to Chelsea (W1, D2, L2).
• Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen is the only player from their last meeting against Chelsea in March 2018 to remain at the club, although Andreas Christensen was a Chelsea player then but now plays for Barcelona.
• Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in this season’s league phase (W2, D1, L1).
• Two of Barcelona’s five away goals in the league phase were scored by Marcus Rashford (W1, D1).

 

Prediction

With a top-eight spot at stake and coming into this match after a well-controlled clinical win at Burnley where they were the better team going forward, Chelsea will need to use that display as a base because they will probably have to be more defensive but know that they are clinical when get away on attacks.

Barcelona meanwhile have kept just one clean sheet in 11 matches which will give Chelsea further belief but the Spanish team nevertheless are packed with goalscoring threats, so I expect them to come and make life difficult for the Blues if can get control of this match early on.

I however do think that Chelsea will be prepared to do a lot of the defending and hit Barcelona on the counter-attack, so a draw feels the best call.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona

Result: Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona