Uefa Champions League
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - 2020/21 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Stamford Bridge - London Tuesday 20 October 2020 21.00CET (20.00 local time) Chelsea FC Group E - Matchday 1 Sevilla FC Last updated 29/10/2020 15:32CET UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE OFFICIAL SPONSORS Match background 2 Legend 5 1 Chelsea FC - Sevilla FC Tuesday 20 October 2020 - 21.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Stamford Bridge, London Match background The winners of the last two editions of the UEFA Europa League meet in the first round of Group E games in the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League as Chelsea take on Sevilla at Stamford Bridge. • Chelsea, who lifted the UEFA Europa League for the second time in Baku in 2019, were succeeded as holders by Sevilla, whose own triumph in Cologne last season was the sixth time they had claimed that trophy, all in the last 14 years. • This is the first meeting between the clubs, although both have plenty of recent experience against teams from their opponents' country. Form guide Chelsea • Fourth in the Premier League in 2019/20, this is Chelsea's 17th venture into the UEFA Champions League group stage and a third in four years. The exception came in that 2018/19 campaign, when they won the UEFA Europa League under Maurizio Sarri. • Chelsea's last four UEFA Champions League campaigns have all ended in the round of 16. In 2019/20 they were heavily beaten home (0-3) and away (1-4) by eventual champions Bayern München at that stage. The loss in Munich ended the London club's ten-match unbeaten run away in Europe (W7 D3). • Frank Lampard's side recovered from a Matchday 1 defeat at home to Spanish opponents last season, going down 1-0 to Valencia, to progress as Group H runners-up with 11 points, finishing behind Valencia on head-to-head record. • The Blues have won only one of their last five UEFA Champions League matches (D2 L2). • European champions in 2012 having been runners-up four years earlier, Chelsea have reached the round of 16 on 14 occasions. • The London side have won their UEFA Champions League group 11 times, although they have been runners-up in their section on each of their last two participations. • Last season's home loss to Valencia was only the Blues' fourth defeat in their last 24 matches against Spanish opponents, home and away (W7 D13); most recently, they drew 2-2 at Valencia last season. • However, a 2-1 victory at Atlético de Madrid on Matchday 2 in 2017/18 is Chelsea's only success in their last ten fixtures against Liga clubs, home and away (D5 L4). Sevilla • This is Sevilla's sixth UEFA Champions League group stage campaign, and a first since 2017/18, when they reached the quarter-finals. They have qualified for the knockout round in all but one of the previous five participations. • Julen Lopetegui's side won the UEFA Europa League in 2019/20, beating Internazionale 3-2 in the final. It was their record-extending sixth triumph in the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, all since 2006. • Sevilla finished first in their UEFA Europa League group last season with 15 points having won all but one of their matches, then ousted CFR Cluj on away goals in the round of 32 (1-1 a, 0-0 h) before wins in one-off ties in Germany against Roma (2-0), Wolves (1-0), Manchester United (2-1) and Inter. • Fourth in Spain in 2019/20, Sevilla won their section in each of their first two UEFA Champions League campaigns and, after finishing third in 2015/16 – when they went on to complete a hat-trick of UEFA Europa League wins – they have been group runners-up in their two most recent seasons in the competition. • Sevilla have already played one European match this season, losing 2-1 after extra time to European champions Bayern München in the UEFA Super Cup in Budapest. It was their fifth defeat in the match in six appearances. • The defeat by Bayern was just Sevilla's fifth loss in their last 30 European matches (W21 D4). • Sevilla have won 16 of their 30 matches in the UEFA Champions League group stage, losing eight. • Last season's wins against Wolves and Manchester United made it three successive victories against Premier League opponents for Sevilla, who have lost only one of their last nine games against English clubs (W5 D3). • Sevilla have fared less well against English opposition in the UEFA Champions League group stage, however, winning one of their six matches (D2 L3). Links and trivia • Have played in Spain: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Club 2004–18, Ponferradina 2015 loan, Valladolid 2015/16 loan) 2 Chelsea FC - Sevilla FC Tuesday 20 October 2020 - 21.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Stamford Bridge, London César Azpilicueta (Osasuna 2007–10) Marcos Alonso (Real Madrid 2010) Mateo Kovačić (Real Madrid 2015–18) • Have played in England: Luuk de Jong (Newcastle 2014) Suso (Liverpool 2012–15) Fernando (Manchester City 2014–17) Jesús Navas (Manchester City 2013–17) Karim Rekik (Manchester City 2011–13, Portsmouth 2011/12 loan, Blackburn 2012/13 loan) • International team-mates: Mateo Kovačić & Ivan Rakitić (Croatia) Hakim Ziyech & Yasine Bounou, Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco) Kepa Arrizabalaga & Jesús Navas, Óscar Rodríguez (Spain) Latest news Chelsea • Summer transfers In: Edouard Mendy (Rennes), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax), Thiago Silva (Paris), Xavier Mbuyamba (Barcelona), Ben Chilwell (Leicester), Malang Sarr (Nice), Kai Havertz (Leverkusen) Out: Willian (Arsenal), Lewis Baker (Trabzonspor, loan), Josh Grant (Bristol Rovers), Jamie Cumming (Stevenage, loan), Nathan (Atlético Mineiro), Danilo Pantić (Čukarički, loan), Izzy Brown (Sheffield Wednesday, loan), Jamal Blackman (Rotherham, loan), Pedro (Roma, free), Tariq Uwakwe (Accrington, loan), Ethan Ampadu (Sheffield United, loan), Conor Gallagher (West Brom, loan), David Zappacosta (Genoa, loan), Luke McCormick (Bristol Rovers, loan), Jon Russell (Accrington, loan), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Fulham, loan), Malang Sarr (Porto, loan) • Hakim Ziyech's next appearance in UEFA club competition will be his 50th. • Chelsea have won three of their seven fixtures in all competitions this season, losing only one – 2-0 at home to champions Liverpool in the Premier League on 20 September. They conceded a late equaliser to draw 3-3 at home to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. • Werner (2) and Havertz both scored their first Premier League goals for Chelsea at the weekend. • The Blues have scored 13 goals in their five Premier League matches in 2020/21 so far, and have managed three or more in seven of their last 11 league fixtures. • Frank Lampard's side lost 5-4 on penalties to Tottenham in the last 16 of the English League Cup after a 1-1 draw on 29 September. • Mason Mount's deflected shot gave England a 2-1 victory at home to Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on 11 October. • Werner and Havertz both found the net in Germany's 3-3 draw at home to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League on 13 October. • Reece James made his first start for England on 14 October, a 1-0 loss at home to Denmark in the UEFA Nations League; he was shown a red card after the final whistle. • Olivier Giroud won his 100th cap for France in a 7-1 friendly win at home to Ukraine on 7 October. He marked the occasion with two goals, taking his all-time tally for Les Bleus to 42, one more than Michel Platini and nine behind France's record scorer Thierry Henry. • Ziyech, who made his delayed Chelsea debut as a second-half substitute against Southampton on Saturday after suffering a knee injury over the summer, had returned to action on 9 October as a second-half substitute in Morocco's 3-1 friendly victory against Senegal. • Christian Pulišić came on as a late substitute in the 4-0 home win against Crystal Palace on 3 October, his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in the FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal on 1 August. • Billy Gilmour has been sidelined by a knee injury since 9 July. • Edouard Mendy returned to Chelsea on 9 October having injured his right thigh in training with Senegal two days earlier and missed the weekend game. Sevilla • Summer transfers In: Oussama Idrissi (AZ Alkmaar), Óscar Rodríguez (Real Madrid), Marcos Acuña (Sporting CP), Ivan Rakitić 3 Chelsea FC - Sevilla FC Tuesday 20 October 2020 - 21.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Stamford Bridge, London (Barcelona), Suso (Milan), Yassine Bounou (Girona), Karim Rekik (Hertha) Out: Sergio Rico (Paris Saint-Germain), Simon Kjær (AC Milan), Éver Banega (al-Shabab), Rony Lopes (Nice, loan), Sébastien Corchia (released), Juan Soriano (Málaga, loan), Alejandro Pozo (Eibar, loan), Bryan Gil (Eibar, loan), Roque Mesa (released) • Sergio Escudero's next appearance in UEFA club competition will be his 50th. • Sevilla's first game of the season was that extra-time defeat by Bayern München in the UEFA Super Cup on 24 September. • Julen Lopetegui's side were undefeated in their opening three Liga games (W2 D1) before losing 1-0 at Granada on Saturday. • The weekend result ended Sevilla's 18-match unbeaten Liga run (W10 D8), and was their first defeat since a 2-1 loss at Celta Vigo on 9 February. • Youssef En-Nesyri scored in Morocco's 3-1 friendly victory over Senegal on 9 October, with club-mate Yassine Bounou also in action. • Escudero was substituted 18 minutes into the loss at Granada with a hip injury. 4 Chelsea FC - Sevilla FC Tuesday 20 October 2020 - 21.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Stamford Bridge, London Legend ALL-TIME STATISTICS The all-time record of the competing clubs in UEFA club competition.