Schalke drew at Chelsea on matchday one, and should fancy their chances of reaching the last 16 from Group G as they prepare to host Slovenian champions Maribor in Gelsenkirchen. Jens Keller’s side are also fresh from beating bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Ruhr derby on Saturday, confirming their upturn in form after a slow start to the campaign.
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (L) scores his third goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge in London on September 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO
“To win in the derby is very important for the club, and even more so as both sides haven’t been doing well recently,” said Japanese defender Atsuto Uchida, and the Royal Blues will now hope to keep their good run going against a Maribor side who needed a late goal from Luka Zahovic to draw with Sporting in their opening group game.
SPORTING V CHELSEA
Chelsea are yet to lose this season, although while Jose Mourinho’s side have been in imperious form in the Premier League, they stuttered to a 1-1 draw against Schalke in their Group G opener. That puts more pressure on them to win at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, where Chelsea will hope to be able to call upon top scorer Diego Costa, who has a nagging hamstring problem.
Sporting are unbeaten this season but Marco Silva’s side have drawn four of their last five games, including a 1-1 stalemate with Porto on Friday. They have however won their last three home games against English opponents and will relish coming up against Mourinho, who worked as an assistant to Bobby Robson at Sporting two decades ago but is better known for his spells in charge of their great rivals Benfica and Porto.
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