Chelsea women are back in Women’s Champions League action tonight as they host Paris FC in Group D. The Blues come into the match second in the table following their 2-2 draw away at Real Madrid last week while Paris FC are currently bottom as they went down 2-1 to BK Hacken.
Emma Hayes was left fuming at the end of Chelsea’s match against Real. Several decisions went against her team including a dubious penalty being awarded to the hosts in the second half and Niamh Charles’ seeming stoppage time winner being ruled out for offside.
Still, they came away with a deserved point and will have their sights set on picking three more up against Paris FC. The French side have already proven their credentials during qualifying. They knocked out Arsenal and Wolfsburg in consecutive rounds on their way to the group stages and will want to put in a strong showing at Stamford Bridge.
Follow all the Women’s Champions League action below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:
Chelsea vs Paris FC live
Chelsea host Paris FC in the Women’s Champions League
Emma Hayes’ side drew 2-2 with Real Madrid last time out
The Blues are second in Group D and looking for their first win of the group stages
Chelsea XI: Berger, Lawrence, Buchanan, Carter, Charles, Cuthbert, Nusken, Rytting Kaneryd, James, Fleming, Kerr
Paris FC XI: Nnadozie, Soyer, Sissoko, Greboval, Bogaert, Korosec, Thiney, Corboz, Mateo, Bourdieu, Dufour
Kick off! Chelsea 0-0 Paris FC
20:01 , Mike Jones
Paris get the ball rolling at Stamford Bridge and boot it over to the right wing. There’s a coming together between Lauren James and Getane Thiney with the Chelsea forward winning a free kick.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:57 , Mike Jones
Here come the teams. Sam Kerr leads out Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Can she help the Blues to a win tonight?
Kick off is up next…
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:55 , Mike Jones
Emma Hayes on playing at Stamford Bridge: “I do feel like Stamford Bridge is becoming more familiar, and the more you play there, the better it will be for us.
“The team doesn’t mind where they are, but we understand for our growth and for competition regulation requirements, we have to be at Stamford Bridge – and we embrace that.”
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:50 , Mike Jones
Sam Kerr captains Chelsea in the absence of Millie Bright this evening and she spoke about the threat that Paris hold saying: “[Paris] are riding a wave at the moment: that can be dangerous.
“You saw with the results against Wolfsburg and Arsenal. To beat two really good teams … it shows they are an amazing team. You can’t take any team lightly in the Champions League.”
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:45 , Mike Jones
Paris coach, Sandrine Soubeyrand, on playing Chelsea tonight: “[Chelsea] are a team capable of counter-pressing: a quality opponent.
“The objective will be to be more efficient at both ends, but also to have fun. There should be no regrets.”
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:40 , Mike Jones
Emma Hayes has made a couple of changes to the Chelsea side that started against Real Madrid last time out in the Women’s Champions League.
Millie Bright hasn’t recovered from her knee problem so drops out of the team with Kadeisha Buchanan replacing her in the back line.
Fran Kirby is the other absentee as Lauren James starts in her stead.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:35 , Mike Jones
Paris FC are second in the French league, three points behind Lyon, following Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 win against Bordeaux.
Clara Matéo, score the winner in that match and was one of only five players who also started in the Champions League loss to Häcken last week.
How will the French side fare at Stamford Bridge tonight?
Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes
19:30 , Mike Jones
Emma Hayes felt her Chelsea side had been “robbed” after they were held 2-2 at Real Madrid in their Women’s Champions League opener.
In a contest with no VAR in operation, Real equalised through a 79th-minute Olga Carmona penalty awarded by referee Frida Klarlund for a Jessie Fleming challenge on Athenea del Castillo – which Hayes had no doubt took place outside the box.
The Chelsea manager was also unhappy about Niamh Charles’ finish being disallowed in stoppage time, seemingly for offside, stressing that Charles had been onside and Sam Kerr had not interfered with goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez.
Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:25 , Mike Jones
Chelsea manager, Emma Hayes, on facing Paris FC: “[Paris are] really organised., tough to break to down, deserving their the position they are in.
“They fluctuate between a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1. They are very compact and make it tough to play between the spaces, and very good in transition, trying to get down the sides.”
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:20 , Mike Jones
Paris FC are unbeaten in their last five away Women’s Champions League matches (three wins, two draws). They have kept four clean sheets in their last five European games outside of France.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:15 , Mike Jones
Chelsea have won four and drawn two of their six home Women’s Champions League group games. Overall, the Blues have lost only one of their 13 group stage matches (eight wins, four draws).
The English club have kept five successive clean sheets at home in the group stage.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:10 , Mike Jones
Paris forward Gaëtane Thiney said: “ We are outsiders in this. But we want to show what we can do.”
(EPA)
Lauren James brilliance sinks Liverpool as five-star Chelsea take control of WSL
19:05 , Mike Jones
England striker Lauren James scored a superb hat-trick and added an assist as Chelsea beat Liverpool 5-1 to maintain their unbeaten record and move six points clear atop the Women’s Super League.
James, who was not in the starting line-up for Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Real Madrid, made her presence known early at Stamford Bridge with a goal in the 11th minute.
Her second was a rocket from the left side of the 18-yard box into the far corner, and she completed the hat-trick with a close-range finish in the 64th minute.
Lauren James brilliance sinks Liverpool as five-star Chelsea take control of WSL
Chelsea vs Paris FC
19:00 , Mike Jones
Chelsea made eight changes from the XI that started in Madrid when they faced Liverpool in the Women’s Super League at the weekend. A 5-1 victory menas they remain in the league and lead by three points.
Lauren James’s first Chelsea hat-trick was the highlight with goals too from Aggie Beevor-Jones and Sjoeke Nüsken.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
18:55 , Mike Jones
Chelsea come up against a club from the French capital in the Women’s Champions League for the second season running as Paris FC visit Stamford Bridge with both teams aiming for a first Group D victory.
The English side fell behind against Real Madrid last time out, thanks to Olga Carmona’s 10th minute strike, but looked on course to make a winning start.
Two headed goals from Niamh Charles and Sam Kerr gave the Londoners the lead only for Carmona to level from the penalty spot five minutes later.
Chelsea vs Paris FC line-ups
18:50 , Mike Jones
Chelsea XI: Berger, Lawrence, Buchanan, Carter, Charles, Cuthbert, Nusken, Rytting Kaneryd, James, Fleming, Kerr
Paris FC: Nnadozie, Soyer, Sissoko, Greboval, Bogaert, Korosec, Thiney, Corboz, Mateo, Bourdieu, Dufour
Millie Bright set to miss Chelsea’s Women’s Champions League clash with Paris FC
18:45 , Mike Jones
Chelsea captain Millie Bright is likely to miss her side’s Women’s Champions League meeting with Paris FC at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Blues manager Emma Hayes confirmed Bright has a knee problem and, although it is not a serious issue, said the 30-year-old will also be a doubt for Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses squad for the upcoming Nations League games against the Netherlands and Scotland in the first week of December.
Bright had knee surgery prior to last summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where she skippered England to second place, before returning to pre-season training at Cobham ahead of the Women’s Super League season.
Millie Bright set to miss Chelsea’s Women’s Champions League clash with Paris FC
Chelsea vs Paris FC team news
18:40 , Mike Jones
Chelsea captain Millie Bright is “50-50” due to a knee problem after missing the win against Liverpool. Guro Reiten, Melanie Leupolz, Catarina Macario, and KateÅina Svitková all remain on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Paris FC’s Alsu Abdullin, who is on loan from Chelsea, is eligible to face her parent club but major goal threat Mathilde Bourdieu is questionable.
How to watch Chelsea vs Paris FC
18:35 , Mike Jones
The match will kick off at Stamford Bridge at 8pm GMT on Thursday 23 November.
All Women’s Champions League group stage games will be available to stream for free in the UK. Fans will be able to watch the UWCL group stage up to and including Matchday 4 on DAZN’s YouTube channel, with coverage then moving to the DAZN app and platforms.
TNT Sports 1 will also be showing tonight’s clash between Chelsea and Paris FC with coverage starting at 8pm.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
18:30 , Mike Jones
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Women’s Champions League action as Chelsea host Paris FC at Stamford Bridge.
This is a crucial game for Emmay Hayes’ team as a win will keep them in contention to qualify for the knockout rounds of the tournament while a loss will make that job more difficult.
The Blues come into the match on the back of a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid last time out, though they really should have won, and the manager will want her team to go one better this evening.
We’ll have all the updates, team news and match action throughout the night so stick with us as we build up to kick off.
