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Chelsea hosted Sevilla at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, with both European giants looking to begin their UEFA Champions League campaign with a dominant performance.
It was a scrappy contest between the two favourites to qualify from Group E, and both the sides had to settle for a point each. It was Sevilla who saw more of the ball as their best chance came from a set-piece, while Frank Lampard's men barely had a sight at goal.
A stalemate at the Bridge might not seem like a great result for Chelsea, who have been at the centre of criticism over the past weeks for conceding 3 goals at West Brom and 3 against Southampton at home just last week.
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But a clean sheet against a rather efficient attacking side was an aspect the Blues improved in, as Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma held the fort and took the responsibility of keeping the Spaniards at bay.
The two teams registered a total of 6 shots on target, which suggests the game was a bit of a hit-and-miss fixture.
Chelsea's talisman Timo Werner was not provided with the service he would've wished for upfront, and that was heavily down to Sevilla's hardworking midfielders, who closed down space regularly. Lucas Ocampos was one of Sevilla's biggest threats, but even he had a below-par game by his standards.
The two sides displayed courage going forward, but they were wary of their opposition's counter-attacking threat. In what was a defensive masterclass from both sides, let's take a closer look at how the players fared throughout the 90 minutes.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Edouard Mendy: 6/10
The Senegalese international had a rather quiet game, courtesy of his centre-backs who guarded the goal with utmost confidence. It was a resounding performance from Chelsea's back four, and that helped Edouard Mendy to bag his second clean sheet in London.
However, there was an instance where the 28-year-old was tested, as Nemanja Gudelj's deflected header demanded an instinctive save from the Chelsea keeper. It was Sevilla's best chance of the game, but Mendy made sure he kept the score intact.
Reece James: 8/10
Reece James showed what he is all about. There is something special about the 20-year-old when he is at his best, and last night was one of those games. If his explosive bursts down the right flank and pin-point crosses into the box were not enough, the young defender was a rock in Chelsea's defence without the ball.
He completed 6 tackles, made 2 interceptions and won 8 of his 11 ground duels to end the night. Frank Lampard gave Reece James a chance, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Thiago Silva: 7/10
Slowly but surely, Thiago Silva has become a leader in Chelsea's defence. The Brazilian was still far from his best, but it's the experience that counts and that was the sole reason he was brought to Stamford Bridge.
It was a night when he had to keep a quality target man in Luuk de Jong quiet, and it would be safe to say that he did. An experienced defender who has played at the very top for so many years, Silva put in an assured performance.
Kurt Zouma: 6/10
While Kurt Zouma didn't put in his best performance, he surely repaid the faith Frank Lampard has shown in him. With Antonio Rudiger having become an outcast at the London club and Christensen deemed not good enough, the onus has fallen upon Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori.
The latter is yet to impress the boss, while Zouma seems to become the first choice to form the backline alongside the veteran Thiago Silva.
Ben Chilwell: 8/10
Has Ben Chilwell had a bad game since he switched cities? Throughout the 90 minutes, the Englishman had a staggering 78 touches, which suggests he was at the heart of almost every Chelsea move.
Frank Lampard's men conceded possession to Sevilla often, but the Blues were lethal in transition. The Chelsea full-backs covered ground with pace, allowing the likes of Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic to get on the end of passes.
Chilwell played 2 key passes, 3 long balls and completed as many as 40 passes in what was a performance of utmost quality.
Jorginho: 5/10
Far from the Jorginho we are used to watching, the Italian midfielder was no match to the intensity of Sevilla's midfielders and forwards.
The 29-year-old was involved in the build-up during most of Chelsea's attacks, as he combined with Kai Havertz and Pulisic in the centre of the pitch. But Jorginho failed to stamp his authority on the game - something he usually does with ease - and even received a yellow card.
The Italian will look to bounce back against United on Saturday after an average performance.
N'Golo Kanté: 4/10
Reports of N'Golo Kante seeking a move away from London had been circulating all summer, and they might just be true considering the French midfielder's form this season.
He has failed to secure a position for himself in Lampard's XI and with every passing day, the 29-year-old seems to be losing his golden touch. Although Kante worked as hard as ever, he was outplayed in the middle of the park by some distance as Sevilla's midfielders comfortably dealt with him.
Mason Mount: 4/10
63 minutes played, 23 passes completed and zero duels won summed up an underwhelming game for Mason Mount. The Englishman is evidently struggling, and lost possession ten times against Sevilla.
Frank Lampard's reluctance to drop him might be taking a toll on his form, but the 21-year-old was yet again on the end of criticism.
Christian Pulisic: 6/10
Christian Pulisic had a lethargic game, and a lot of it was down to him being played as a right-winger to accommodate Mount on the left.
The decision to play him out of position didn't turn out well, as the American didn't have much time on the ball and was slightly sloppy in possession. Chelsea will remember the performances he put in against Liverpool and Manchester City while playing on the left.
Kai Havertz: 8/10
The best way to describe Kai Havertz's performance against Sevilla would be to state that every transition, every build-up and every bit of development in the final third went through him.
The German was not only immaculate with the ball at his feet but provided his team with the work rate that Frank Lampard demands in his players. Winning 5 tackles while completing as much as 40 passes, the 21-year-old turned in an excellent performance for Chelsea.
Timo Werner: 6/10
Someone who feeds off high defensive lines, Timo Werner had his opportunity tonight, as Julen Loptegui's system was perfect for him to exploit. However, the Chelsea striker barely had a sniff of goal.
The 25-year-old was limited to only 28 touches over the course of the 90 minutes, while Fernando was comfortable in dealing with his 1v1 prowess and explosive pace. Werner did not have the best of times against a Sevilla defence which knew how to contain him.
Chelsea Substitutes:
Mateo Kovačić: 6/10
The Croatian came on for Jorginho in the 65th minute. The latter was edging closer to a second yellow and with a big game against United on Saturday, Lampard certainly wanted his midfield maestro fit and running.
Brave on the ball, the 25-year-old injected a bit more energy and ball progression in midfield, limiting Havertz's job and helping Chelsea maintain possession for longer periods. Kovačić's performance was certainly one of the positive ones.
Hakim Ziyech: 5/10
In what was only his second appearance of the season for Chelsea, Hakim Ziyech came on for Mason Mount to see out the final 30 minutes of the game and possibly inspire his team to a winner.
A player who is not fit to last the whole 90 minutes at the moment, Ziyech tried a few dribbles and risky passes to get a taste of what it's like to play at the Bridge, but that was it.
Pulisic was shifted to his natural position as Ziyech took over the right-wing role for Chelsea. However, neither player was able to instigate a goalscoring opportunity and a draw was on the cards well before the final whistle.
Tammy Abraham: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
Sevilla Player Ratings
Bono: 6/10
Similar to Edouard Mendy, the Sevilla goalkeeper did not have to deal with many attacks. A Kurt Zouma header and a side-footed Timo Werner strike were his toughest tasks of the night, and he gathered both cleanly.
Jesus Navas: 8/10
Jesus Navas put in a captain's performance, and was at the beginning of plenty of Sevilla attacks. The 34-year-old completed a staggering 10 long balls - the highest on the pitch by some distance - while also winning 3 duels, 2 interceptions and a tackle.
Despite age not being on his side, the former Man City fullback never ceased to overlap and support his winger. Navas and his men often outnumbered or outplayed Chelsea on the right and delivered teasing crosses.
Sergi Gomez: 5/10
An early injury to Sergi Gomez saw Joan Jordan come in to replace him. In the 30 minutes of football the 28-year-old played, there was not much to deal with, as the game started in first gear and the two teams took time to test each other.
Diego Carlos: 8/10
A player who has been in incredible form for Sevilla over the past season, Diego Carlos continued his fine form at Stamford Bridge. He produced a mammoth defensive performance to help Lopetegui's men go home with a clean sheet. With a passing accuracy of 85%, 5 long balls completed and 4 interceptions made, Jules Kounde's absence was not felt.
Marcos Acuna: 6/10
The Argentinian international was by far the busiest fullback on the pitch. While he didn't have his best game, the 28-year-old was heavily involved in the possession Sevilla kept as he took an astounding 108 touches. Acuna was confident on the ball and despite Lucas Ocampos not having his best game, he kept the left side alive for Sevilla as they regularly looked for openings.
Fernando: 7/10
An unfortunate hamstring injury to Gomez saw Fernando drop back alongside Carlos to form the centre-back partnership, and this was actually a blessing in disguise for Sevilla. Timo Werner might have exploited Gomez's lack of pace, but Fernando's IQ and positioning were too good for the German striker as he failed to get the better of him numerous times throughout the game.
Ivan Rakitic: 7/10
The former Barcelona man is surely loving life under Julen Lopetegui, and his comeback story at Sevilla has been incredible so far. It was another silent but effective performance by Ivan Rakitic, who is a player who often slips under the radar due to his playing style. The Croatian dominated the right side of the pitch, controlling anything and everything that came his way.
Suso: 6/10
Suso was by far Sevilla's best forward, and as a result, the head coach's decision to take him off in the 60th minute instead of Lucas Ocampos came as a bit of a surprise to Sevilla fans. Either way, the 26-year-old had an above-average game against an in-form Ben Chilwell, who didn't allow the former Milan playmaker too much time on the ball.
Lucas Ocampos: 5/10
Lucas Ocampos' quality is undeniable. Even though he had a rather poor night of football, he tried his best to make something happen out of nothing. The 26-year-old completed only 40% of his dribbles, but he constantly tried to take on players and convinced Lopetegui to allow him to play the full 90 minutes.
Luuk de Jong: 5/10
Lack of service, lack of off-the-ball movement and the solid performances from Chelsea's centre-backs meant that Luuk de Jong was nowhere to be seen in the game. The former Newcastle United striker did win plenty of aerials, but nothing came to use as the Sevilla man was always crowded by blue shirts.
Sevilla Substitutes
Joan Jordan: 6/10
Jordan definitely added the bit of intent Sevilla's midfield was lacking throughout the game, but he could not have a big impact on the result of the game.
Oliver Torres: 7/10
Replacing Suso in the 58th minute, Torres provided more pace on the flanks and allowed Lucas Ocampos to come shift to his favoured right-hand side. The youngster ended the game with a passing accuracy of 95%, which was an impressive number for a winger who attempted 6 long balls and had 28 touches in the game.
Franco Vasquez: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
Youssef En-Nesyri: N/A
Did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
