Chelsea travel to Spain on Wednesday for a huge clash with Valencia in Group H. The Blues are locked on seven points with the Spanish, while Ajax also have seven points after four games.
Valencia kicked off their 2019/20 Champions League campaign with victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Spanish side then lost 3-0 to Ajax on Matchday 2, before drawing with Lille in their next game.
A 4-1 victory over the French side in the previous round has put Valencia in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages, but there is still plenty to play for in Group H.
Following their opening-day defeat, Chelsea bounced back with consecutive away victories over Lille and Ajax respectively.
Frank Lampard’s side found themselves 4-1 down against Ajax in their last game, but produced a remarkable comeback to eventually draw the match.
Chelsea ended a run of six straight victories in the Premier League as they were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City at the weekend.
The Blues have a record of W8/D2/L3 in the league this season, but they are firmly cemented in the top-four as they sit seven points clear of fifth-place Wolves.
Valencia come into this match on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Real Betis. That result has seen them slip to tenth in the La Liga standings. A record of W5/D5/L4 underlines Valencia’s inconstant displays this season.
The Spanish side have scored 20 goals in La Liga and have netted more goals than five teams above them in the table.
However, their poor defensive record means they have conceded more goals than all the teams in the top half of the table, along with three sides below them.
Valencia will be without Denis Cheryshev on Wednesday as the Russian international continues to recover from injury.
Andreas Christensen and Callum Hudson-Odoi will be fit to face Valencia, while Ross Barkley remains a doubt. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Antonio Rudiger will both be unavailable for selection.
The latest on @ToniRuediger, @RBarkley8 and @Calteck10... 💪#VCFCHE— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 26, 2019
The latest on @ToniRuediger, @RBarkley8 and @Calteck10... 💪#VCFCHE
Valencia got the better of Chelsea in the reverse fixture, but the Blues have been on a fantastic run since then.
The English side have gained a lot of confidence in recent weeks, and their young stars continue to improve with every game.
Forebet predicts that Chelsea will steal a narrow victory on Wednesday, putting them in pole position to qualify for the Round of 16.