Chelsea vs Pafos: Match Preview and Team Updates

Chelsea welcomes Cypriot champions Pafos to Stamford Bridge this evening.

This match is crucial for both teams as they aim for knockout-stage advancement. Liam Rosenior is set to make his Champions League debut.

Chelsea has had a busy schedule, competing in four tournaments in under two weeks.

Currently, Chelsea is in 13th place and only two points away from automatic qualification for the round of 16.

Pafos is positioned 26th and needs a good result to keep their play-off hopes alive in their first European season.

Match Preview and Team News

• • Date: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
  • Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
  • Venue: Stamford Bridge, London

• Referee: Erik Lambrechts (BEL)
• VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP)
• Last Meeting: First competitive meeting

Team News

Chelsea

Chelsea is dealing with team illness, with Enzo Fernández the latest affected; he missed training earlier this week and will be a late decision for the match.

Jamie Gittens, Estêvão Willian, and Malo Gusto have returned to training and should be available.

However, defender Tosin Adarabioyo will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury from the match against Brentford.

Levi Colwill and Roméo Lavia are still unavailable, and Mykhaylo Mudryk is serving a suspension.

Pafos

David Luiz, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, could potentially return to play for Pafos after recovering from a recent injury.

However, he will be evaluated late due to a knock he received over the weekend. The team is also likely to miss David Goldar and João Correia because of injuries.

Form

Chelsea

Chelsea has a strong home record, remaining unbeaten in their last 17 home matches at this stage.

Liam Rosenior’s first Premier League match was a success, with the team winning 2–0 against Brentford.

Chelsea fields the youngest average starting XI in the competition.

The team has also maintained a 21-match scoring streak in European games. Estêvão has a chance to match Kylian Mbappé by scoring in his first four starts.

Pafos

Pafos faces a tough historical context, with Cypriot teams winning only one out of 21 encounters with English clubs in all competitions.

Currently 26th in the league phase table, they can take encouragement from a solid defensive record, having conceded only 9 goals—fewer than all but Benfica among the bottom half of the table—despite facing the most shots (123) in the tournament.

However, they have yet to score an away goal in this Champions League season, with two draws and one loss on the road.

Coach Sofyane Cherfa faces the challenge of competing against the youngest side in the tournament.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea Predicted XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Gittens, Pedro, Estevao; Delap

How to Watch Chelsea vs Pafos?

In the UK, the match will be live on TNT Sports 3, starting coverage at 19:00 GMT before the 20:00 kick-off.

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