5 top games to watch from UEFA Champions League game week 3

3. Chelsea FC VS AS Roma (Group C)

Antonio Conte will be hoping for similar joy in the tie against an unpredictable Roma side

Another very intriguing Anglo-Italian clash goes down at Stamford Bridge as English champions and 2012 winners Chelsea face perennial underachievers AS Roma in a pivotal Group C tie.

The Blues have had a mixed start to the season winning their first two UCL games including a very tasty 2-1 defeat of Atletico Madrid in Spain.

The league form has been a different story with two straight losses in the last couple of weeks leaving Antonio Conte’s men lagging behind the early front-runners.

Opponents AS Roma have had a very curious start to the Serie A season, winning all five of their games against lower table opposition (including AC Milan) but losing two games at home to fellow title contenders: Internazionale and Napoli.

I Giallorossi (The Yellow and Reds) have gained four points from their two group games so far and will be confident of getting a good result against a Chelsea side that still looks some way off its imperious best.

Coach Conte will be hopeful that star striker Alvaro Morata recovers in time to play while first-name-on-the-team-sheet enforcer N’Golo Kante will miss out with a muscular injury.

Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco has more injury concerns as defence lynchpin Kostas Manolas, wingers Stephan El Shaarawy and Gregoire Defrel as well as perennial absentee midfielder Kevin Strootman will be out.

The game promises to be tactical with a draw serving neither team well as they will be well aware of Atletico Madrid’s doubleheader against Azerbaijani whipping boys Qarabag.

A fit-again Morata and Edin Dzeko for the Romans will fancy their chances on getting on the scoresheet while defensive discipline may determine which teams get a result.