Chelsea host Pafos in their penultimate league phase encounter in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
Victory could lift Chelsea into the top eight if results elsewhere swing in their favour, whilst Pafos can climb into the knockout play-off spots with a win.
Team News
Chelsea will welcome Estevao, Jamie Gittens (illness) and Malo Gusto (knock) back into contention, after they missed the Blues’ 2-0 Premier League victory against Brentford.
Enzo Fernandez is a doubt after he missed training due to illness as a result of a bug spreading around the squad.
Tosin Adarabioyo (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (quad), Levi Colwill (ACL) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) are still sidelined.
Pafos could be without ex Chelsea defender – David Luiz plus David Goldar and Joao Correira due to unspecified injuries.
When is Kick-Off?
Chelsea host Pafos at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 21 January at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 3 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- This is Chelsea’s first-ever meeting against Pafos in all competitions.
- Pafos are making their first-ever visit to Chelsea across all competitions.
- This is the second different Cypriot opposition that Chelsea have met in UEFA competitions, having previously APOEL in group stage of 2009-10 edition where they won 1-0 away and drew 2-2 at home.
- Estevao has scored in each of Chelsea’s last two home matches in this competition (W2).
- Pafos are facing English opposition for the first time in all UEFA competitions.
Prediction
With an away trip to Napoli to come in their league-phase fixture, Chelsea know that this is pretty much must-win if want a strong chance at a top-eight finish but they can take heart from their improved attacking performances under Liam Rosenoir.
Pafos meanwhile aren’t the easiest team to beat on their day but against top-quality opposition in Bayern Munich and Juventus, they lost both games so a big defensive effort and clinical end product is needed if they’re to snatch anything here.
I however do think that Chelsea should have enough quality for a routine victory despite illnesses spreading through the squad.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Pafos
Result: Chelsea 1-0 Pafos
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