GOOD EVENING Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of the first leg of the Champions League Last 16 tie between European champions Chelsea and French outfit, Lille at Stamford Bridge. Kick off 20.00 GMT.
Champions League / Last 16
Stamford Bridge / 22.02.2022
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- K. Havertz(8')
- C. Pulisic(63')
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 22/02/2022 at 22:10 GMT
19.55
LILLE'S MAIN MAN
Will Jonathan David surprise the European and world champions tonight?
We are about to find out. Kick off incoming.
19.50
19.45
WILL THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL BE ON THE MOVE?
"Given the British and European condemnation of Russian action in Ukraine, Uefa should immediately move the Champions League final from the Gazprom stadium" - UK Sports Minister Tracey Crouch has encouraged Uefa to move the Champions League final away from St Petersburg as the Russia-Ukraine crisis continues to escalate
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UEFA 'monitoring' situation in Russia ahead of UCL final in St Petersburg
19.40
FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE DEFENDER UP FOR THE FIGHT
Lille centre back Jose Fonte knows all about the difficulty in facing Chelsea having spent several years in the English top-flight at Crystal Palace, Southampton and West Ham.
However, he has echoed his manager's view that Les Dogues must show belief.
He told reporters: “The group is ambitious. We've had a good run so far. We don't want to stop, we're going to fight. It's a very difficult game, but we have ambition.”
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Image credit: Getty Images
19.35
REACTION TO LUKAKU'S OMISSION
BT Sport's pundits have been having their say on the Chelsea team sheet and the big news that Lukaku has been dropped to the bench.
19.30
MENDY WARY OF STRUGGLING CHAMPIONS
(LOSC) have been performing well, so it's not an easy draw, they are a good team. They've struggled a bit this season in the league, but it's always difficult to be reigning champions. They've done very well in the Champions League and will do everything to make it hard for us and get a result.
Edouard Mendy, Chelsea
19.25
THE LOWDOWN ON LILLE
Eurosport UK's Pete Sharland touched base with Cyril Morin from our France office to get the inside track on Gourvennec’s side so far this season.
19.20
'PARTY POOPERS?'
Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec was eager to talk up the French champions' hopes on the eve of this first leg:
We are competitors so we will not be going there just to be Chelsea's sparring partners, that's for sure. They are a great team but there are always surprises in cup matches and we want to be the party poopers, as we have been since the beginning of this Champions League campaign.
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Image credit: Getty Images
19.15
BLUES BOSS WARY OF FRENCH 'UNDERDOG'
More from Tuchel's pre-match media conference:
We all know how physical French football is. Players are very brave in one-on-one challenges and very disciplined on the ball. They have the chance to play this game as underdogs with nothing to lose and they will take it from there.
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'What can I do?' - Tuchel puzzled by Lukaku's dip in form
19.10
WILL LUKAKU HAVE THE LAST LAUGH TONIGHT?
Thomas Tuchel suggested it was time to protect Romelu Lukaku and not laugh at the situation that saw him touch the ball just seven times in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.
The Chelsea boss has responded by taking his £97.5m striker out of the spotlight, but the Belgian could yet have a big say from the bench.
His omission means Kai Havertz will operate as a false nine as the Blues make three changes from the weekend. In come Cesar Azpilicueta, Mateo Kovacic and Marcos Alonso.
19.05
CONFIRMED LINE-UPS – LUKAKU BENCHED!
CHELSEA: Mendy, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Alonso, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Pulisic, Ziyech, Havertz... Subs: Kepa, Bettinelli, Jorginho, Lukaku, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Saul, Mount, Kenedy, Sarr, Vale. /// LILLE: Jardim, Djalo, Botman, Fonte, Celik, Andre, Xeka, Onana, Bamba, Renato Sanches, David… Subs: Grbic, Raux, Gudmundsson, Ben Arfa, Yilmaz, Lihadji, Gomes, Weah, Zhegrova, Bradaric.