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Chelsea travel to Belarus to lock horns with BATE Borisov knowing that a victory would seal their place in the knockout stage of the Europa League.
The Blues are unbeaten in their last 16 matches in all competitions and are by far the best side in this edition of Europe's second-tier league - having registered the most shots in the competition so far (73), while also facing fewer than any other team (15).
Meanwhile, their opponents, who are on three points, will be looking to turn their fortunes around after a horrendous defeat at the hands of the Blues last time out. Here's all you need to know ahead of the game.
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BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Kickoff Information
Date: 8 November
Kickoff: 20:55 (local time), 23:25 (IST)
Venue: Borisov Arena
Where to watch: SonyLIV
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Team News
BATE Borisov:
The home side have a full squad to pick from. Former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb will hope to start against the West Londoners.
Chelsea:
Olivier Giroud and Ethan Ampadu have recovered from their injuries and are expected to feature in the matchday squad. Eden Hazard, who played a cameo last weekend, has travelled with the squad but is unlikely to start.
Elsewhere, Cesc Fabregas and Mateo Kovacic are expected to man Sarri's midfield.
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Probable Line-ups
Bate Borisov (4-3-3): Scherbitski; Rios, Filipovic, Filipenko, Volodko; Baga, Dragun, Hleb; Skavysh, Tuominen, Stasevich
Chelsea (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Zappacosta, Christensen, Cahill, Emerson; Kovacic, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek; Willian, Giroud, Pedro
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Form Guide
Last 5 matches (in all competitions)
BATE Borisov: W-W-W-L-W
Chelsea: W-W-W-W-D
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Head-To-Head
BATE Borisov wins: 0
Chelsea wins: 1
Draws: 0
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Key Players
BATE Borisov:
With two assists in three Europa League fixtures, Igor Stasevich is the player to watch out for as far as the hosts are concerned. He is pacy, direct and technically sound - someone who can keep hold of the ball very well.
Chelsea:
Ruben Loftus-Cheek doubled his Chelsea goal tally in just two matches recently and will go into this game in the richest vein of form, having struck a hat-trick against the same opponents in the previous match day. An all-round midfielder who possesses all the sharp attributes, the England international will aim to impress Maurizio Sarri once again.
BATE Borisov v Chelsea: Prediction
The Blues might take a while to settle into the game, but eventually, they will come out on top with a couple of goals at least. They will have to avoid lapses of concentration while defending to avoid a closely contested encounter.
Predicted score: BATE Borisov 1-3 Chelsea
