UCL: Chelsea vs Pafos preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

This match represents a massive opportunity for the Blues to secure their place in the top eight of the table, while the Cypriot side arrive in London looking to cause one of the biggest upsets in their club history.

Chelsea enter this fixture following a vital 2-0 home victory against Brentford on Saturday, a result that ended a frustrating run of four matches without a win. 

Head coach Liam Rosenior has managed to steady the ship since his recent appointment, and the team now looks more balanced defensively. 

Sitting in 13th place in the Champions League table with 10 points, the Blues know that a victory here could lift them into the automatic qualification spots. 

They have been dominant at home in Europe this season, but they must avoid the defensive lapses that saw them drop points against the likes of Fulham and Aston Villa recently.

Pafos FC, meanwhile, travel to London as the clear underdogs but with nothing to lose. They currently occupy 26th position in the league phase with six points from their six matches.

Their most recent European outing was a tough 2-0 defeat away at Juventus, but they showed great spirit to hold Monaco to a 2-2 draw earlier in the campaign. 

Domestically, they have been in mixed form, recently securing a 2-0 win over Olympiakos Nicosia. Coach Albert Celades will likely set his team up to be compact and frustrate the host for as long as possible.

Don't forget to check out our daily betting tips on BET OF THE DAY.

There is no historical record between Chelsea and Pafos FC, as this is the first time these two sides have ever met in a competitive fixture.

This is only the second time in history that Pafos have qualified for European competition, and it is their debut season in the Champions League. 

Chelsea have a strong record against teams from smaller European nations at Stamford Bridge, and they will be looking to maintain that dominance in this meeting.

Chelsea are dealing with several key absentees ahead of the match. Mykhaylo Mudryk remains unavailable due to suspension, while Jamie Gittens is sidelined with an injury.

Defensive concerns continue with Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto and Tosin Adarabioyo all ruled out and midfielder Romeo Lavia also missing through injury.

Pafos FC, meanwhile, have a much shorter injury list to contend with. The Cypriot side will be without defender Pedrao, who is unavailable due to injury, but otherwise head into the fixture with a largely full squad to choose from.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sánchez – Acheampong, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella – James, Caicedo – Neto, Fernández, George – Joao Pedro

Pafos FC (3-4-2-1): Michael – Luckassen, David Luiz, Goldar – Felipe, Pepe, Sunjic, Correia – Orsic, Dragomir – Anderson Silva

After reviewing our predictions, be sure to visit the Livescore Bet website to bet on your favourite games with enticing odds.

While Chelsea are expected to make several changes to their starting eleven, the quality between the two squads remains significant. 

Liam Rosenior has enough depth to field a very strong side that should be too powerful for the Cypriot champions. 

However, Chelsea have struggled to keep clean sheets in Europe this season, conceding eight goals in six games, which may give Pafos hope of finding the net.