Chelsea vs Ajax Preview: Kick-off Time, Live Stream, Stats, and Team News

Chelsea prepares to continue their UEFA Champions League journey on Wednesday as they face Ajax at Stamford Bridge. The match comes on the heels of Chelsea’s recent success in the Premier League, where they secured a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest. This win was pivotal, resulting in the dismissal of Nottingham’s manager, Ange Postecoglou.

In stark contrast, Ajax has struggled lately, winning only one of their last six matches across all competitions. The pressure continues to build on Ajax’s head coach, Johnny Heitinga, who contends with a team that is currently second from bottom in the Champions League standings. Ajax suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Marseille and a subsequent 2-0 loss to Inter Milan. A draw with Sparta Rotterdam and another defeat against AZ Alkmaar have left the team nine points behind Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord.

Chelsea’s Recent Form

Chelsea’s inconsistent performance this season has similarly affected their Champions League campaign. After an initial loss to Bayern Munich, Chelsea rebounded with a narrow 1-0 victory over Benfica, boosting their position to 18th in the group table. However, injuries and suspensions complicate team selection for Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.

Team News

• Chelsea:
• Enzo Fernández, Midfielder: Doubtful (knee)
• João Pedro, Forward: Out (suspended)
• Benoît Badiashile, Defender: Out (knock)
• Cole Palmer, Forward: Out (groin)
• Dário Essugo, Midfielder: Out (thigh)
• Liam Delap, Forward: Out (hamstring)
• Levi Colwill, Defender: Out (ACL)
• Ajax:
• Owen Wijndal, Defender: Out (knock)
• Branco van den Boomen, Midfielder: Doubtful (back)
• Kasper Dolberg, Forward: Expected return late-October (stomach)

Historical Context

Chelsea and Ajax have a history of competitive matches. In their previous encounters, Chelsea won 1-0 in Amsterdam, while their last clash was a thrilling 4-4 draw. This memorable game saw Chelsea stage a comeback from a 4-1 deficit, aided by Ajax playing with nine men under coach Erik ten Hag.

Watch Live

Fans can follow the match on various platforms: TNT Sports in the U.K., Paramount+ in the U.S., Facebook Watch in Australia, and SonyLIV in India. ESPN will also provide live updates.

Match Details

Stats Overview

• Ajax has not won against English teams in their last 11 meetings (0-2-9 W-D-L).
• Ajax has not scored in their last five matches against Premier League sides, conceding 11 goals in that span.
• Chelsea remains undefeated against Dutch teams in the UEFA Champions League (3-1-0 W-D-L).
• This match marks Chelsea’s 200th game in the UEFA Champions League.
• Ajax will play their 250th match in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League.
• Chelsea is unbeaten in their last 15 home group stage matches in the Champions League.

As Chelsea looks to assert dominance in their group, Ajax must find a way to reverse their fortunes. All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge as the teams battle for crucial points in the Champions League.