After another disaster in the Premier League - this time losing to Bournemouth - Chelsea are now closer to the relegation zone than anywhere near defending their league title. With the domestic crown now a pipe dream, Jose Mourinho's side now realize that the only likely way to have any chance at featuring in Europe next season would be to win a continental title - something that, given their disappointing showings so far this season - is easier said than done.
Chelsea
Whilst they have floundered in the Premier League, the Blues have done decently in the Champions League and presently sit on top of their group. However, passage to the round of 16 is not yet within their grasp as Porto are tied with them on ten points, and just behind them is Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev with eight. At the end of today, two of these three teams will be in the Champions League. One will be in the Europa League. And all three sides will need a win to enter the first knock-out rounds, setting up what will be a very interesting day of action for Group G.
A win will not only propel Chelsea into the next round, but would also make sure that they finish as top seed, thus avoiding the likes of Barcelona or Bayern Munich in the first knock-out stages. A draw, on the other hand, should suffice, but will put them in the unpleasant runners-up spot, meaning that they indeed could be paired with the Blaugrana or die Roten - two teams that everyone will be desperate to avoid for as long as possible.
And should the unthinkable happen - a defeat - then it's on to the Europa League for the Blues. Although it's a competition they have won before - in 2013 after again crashing out of the UCL group stages - with teams like reigning champions Sevilla and others in there for company, coupled with the team's overall poor form this campaign, even winning Europe's second tier competition is not an absolute certainty.
But all permutations aside, naturally the focus for Mourinho's men will be to defeat his former side, finish as group winners, and hope for a favorable draw in the next round to prolong their participation in the Champions League for as long as possible. In terms of personnel, Radamel Falcao, who has been a big disappointment since arriving from Manchester United is still out with an injury, but everyone else should be available for selection. The only major concerns for the Portuguese tactician will be both John Terry and Ramires, who are still not 100 per cent fit and it will be interesting to see how - and if - either man features in any capacity for the Blues this evening.
Porto
Meanwhile, Porto are in the exact same position as Chelsea. A win for the Dragons, means, again, they top their group and get a "better" draw in the next round. A draw, again, puts them up against the likes of reigning UCL champions Barcelona or 2013 winners Bayern Munich. And a loss could see Julen Lopetegui's side having to slug it out in the Europa League (unless if bottom-feeders Maccabi Tel Aviv manage to snatch a point, or three against Dynamo Kiev).
The last meeting between the two sides finished as a 2-1 win in favor of the Portuguese powerhouse and given the difficult relationship between Iker Casillas and Mourinho whilst the duo were at Real Madrid, despite his public claims to the contrary, the Spaniard would love nothing more than to again defeat his former manager, this time at Chelsea's home ground. Porto have been pretty impressive all season, having just lost one match across all competitions - a surprise reversal to Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev at home last month - and currently sit second in the Primeira Liga behind Sporting CP.
However, the Dragons do not have a good record when it comes to facing English opposition on the road. In their past 15 visits to England, they have lost 13, drawing the other two. So, should they win in their 16th visit, it will be the first ever victory for them on English soil.
Like Mourinho, Lopetegui will have most of his options available for selection. The only notable absence will be journeyman striker Dani Osvaldo, who will be familiar to Serie A fans for his spells (of varied success) at Roma, Inter, Juventus, and Fiorentina and Premier League followers for his time at Southampton, where he spent more time dealing with disciplinary issues than scoring goals.
Which channel is broadcasting Chelsea vs Porto on TV or Online?
It's going to be an interesting battle between the Blues and the Dragons, and Mourinho vs. former employee Casillas. So if you're fortunate to be in London at this time of year, you may be heading to Stamford Bridge to catch what will be an interesting 90 minutes of football live.
For the rest of us who may not be as fortunate, we all can still be right there in thick of the action by catching the game on TV, computer, phone, or tablet. LiveSoccerTV.com has plenty of options for Chelsea and Porto fans residing in the following countries:
- In the USA at 14.45 EST on: WATCH ESPN, Fox Soccer 2GO USA and other Fox networks (see page for more info)
- In the UK at 19.45 GMT on: BT Sport Ultra HD, BT Sport Live Streaming, BT Sport 2
- In Portugal at 19.45 GMT on: Sport TV1
- In Canada at 14.45 EST on: RDS 2, TSN1
Live elsewhere? Check out our special Chelsea vs Porto broadcast page for specific viewing times and options for wherever you call home.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Team sheets for Chelsea vs Porto
Chelsea's lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Diego Costa.
Porto's lineup: Casillas, Maxi, Maicon, Marcano, Martins Indi, Danilo, Imbula, Herrera, Layún, Corona, Brahimi.
Chelsea's subs: Begovic, Cahill, Mikel, Kenedy, Fabregas, Pedro, Remy.
Porto's subs: Helton, Neves, Evandro, Varela, Tello, Aboubakar, Bueno.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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