Chelsea entertain Sevilla for the first time ever in a competitive fixture, the two sides having met previously in 1975, a pre-season friendly that Chelsea lost 2-0.
The Andalusian side gained entry to the Champions League after winning last season’s Europa League, the sixth time they have put their name on the trophy.
The Spanish side has however, got a reputation for starting their European adventures in the Champions League before finishing in third place in the group stage and dropping down to the ‘second’ European competition.
Defensive lapses on Saturday led to Chelsea letting a two-goal advantage slip against Southampton but, after regaining it, allowed a stoppage-time equaliser to ruin what would have been a 3-2 victory.
Once again, those footballing experts, the practiced exponents of PlayStation football had the perfect bandwagon to jump on when a poorly weighted back-pass from Kurt Zouma wasn’t collected by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
For the latest Chelsea v Sevilla odds click here
They are the same people who have more than likely got their moans and complaints – about the club they like to pretend they follow – pre-written with just a space to insert the name of the player they deem deserves their criticism before the game has even started.
Of course, the social media frenzy to ‘pile on’ the Chelsea goalkeeper was matched by the condemnation of Frank Lampard.
Some followers of Chelsea may regard match-going supporters as arrogant because of the ‘moral authority’ they have by way of attending matches live, rather than watching on the television from abroad.
But the fact that the overwhelming number of Stamford Bridge attendees seem to want to give their 100% support to the Chelsea manager that upsets the bed-wetters and the ‘look at me’ accounts that frequent Twitter, the majority of whom have never been to the UK, let alone Stamford Bridge and carry the opposite opinion.
However, Chelsea’s obvious defensive frailties will be a concern to Lampard as well as to those who hope to see the side progress beyond the group stage of this season’s Champions League.
Nonetheless, the fact that the strike force are in good goal-scoring form may well negate any perceived problems at the back.
Add to that the fact that their Spanish opponents haven’t got off to the greatest of starts to their own domestic campaign, Chelsea may well get the result they are looking for.
With Timo Werner looking although his goal-scoring boots tightly laced up, I will again be having a punt of him scoring for Chelsea but I will rely on the ‘any time’ market rather than commit to him breaking the deadlock which is available at 2.50 with FansBet.
Until the next time; Win or lose, Up Frank Lampard’s Blues!
About the Author
Londoner David Johnstone is a home, away and European away Chelsea supporter and has missed just six matches since 2001 (although he’s quick to state there are plenty of other supporters with better attendance records than him).
He has been involved with the fanzine scene at Chelsea since around 1991 and started the ‘cfcuk’ fanzine in 1999 which was, until Mr Abramovich bought the club in 2003, named ‘Matthew Harding’s Blue And White Army’.
David was also responsible for forming both the Chelsea Supporters’ Group and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust which are the main two bodies that represent the followers of Chelsea FC and take their concerns to those running the club.
A founder of the highly regarded Chelsea FanCast weekly podcast (but is no longer involved) and responsible for the crowd surfing banners and supporter displays that are seen in the Matthew Harding Stand at Stamford Bridge on matchday.
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