Chelsea vs. Sevilla – Champions League, October 20, 2020

Having been drawn alongside European minnows Krasnodar and Rennes in Group E, Chelsea and Sevilla are both expected to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages this year.

The two big guns kick off their 2020/21 UCL campaigns at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, October 20, as the Blues welcome last season’s Europa League winners to the English capital.

If you’re interested in wagering on this game, make sure you check out my Chelsea vs. Sevilla prediction and betting pick below.

Despite their stuttering start to the new campaign, Chelsea (2.00) is the bookies’ favorite to win on Tuesday. The top online soccer betting sites view Sevilla (3.70) as the outsider, although the Spaniards will be confident of upsetting the odds.

I assess both sides’ chances below.

Chelsea finished one point ahead of Ajax in Group H last season to scrape into the UCL Round of 16, but Frank Lampard’s young team was humiliated by Bayern Munich over two legs and ended up losing 7-1 on aggregate to the eventual champions.

Needless to say, the English side will be desperate to go deeper into this year’s tournament. The attacking additions of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Hakim Ziyech will certainly help the team going forward, but at the other end of the pitch, the Blues still have serious defensive issues.

Werner (3 goals, 2 assists) and Havertz (4 goals, 2 assists) have hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge following their Bundesliga moves. However, Chelsea has already conceded nine goals in five EPL games this term. Recent 3-3 draws with West Brom and Southampton prove that Lampard’s men are efficient in attack, but those results also underline the team’s frailties at the back.

Still, eight points from five games is not a disastrous return. Chelsea has only lost one Premier League games this season, with victories over Brighton (3-1) and Crystal Palace (4-0) keeping the club near the top end of the table.

The importance of Mendy and Thiago Silva to this Chelsea defence is going to be massive this season.

We desperately need them to stay fit and get a strong run in the XI together. Huge upgrades on what we have. pic.twitter.com/tDRMS4LRq3

— LDN (@LDNFootbalI) October 17, 2020

In fairness, Sevilla has also made a shaky start to the 2020/21 campaign. Los Nervionenses finished fourth in La Liga last season – ten points clear of fifth-place Villarreal – but they currently find themselves languishing in mid-table after four games this year.

Julen Lopetegui’s men kicked things off with back-to-back victories over Cadiz (3-1) and Levante (1-0). However, Sevilla only managed to pick up one point from their previous two outings. A draw with Barcelona and a defeat to Granada quickly put an end to the club’s promising start.

But let’s not forget that Sevilla went all the way in the Europa League last season. In fact, the Spaniards have clinched four of the last seven Europa League trophies, so they clearly know what it takes to excel when it comes to tournament soccer.

Having taken everything into consideration, I believe the draw is the way to go here. Yes, Chlesea has the firepower to claim all three points. But Lopetegui’s Sevilla is very well organized, and the Blues are likely to struggle to break the away side down.

Chelsea still has a lot to learn in terms of game management, so I can see Sevilla heading back to Spain with a point.