Chelsea and Barcelona Clash: Bold Predictions, Key Lineups, and What to Expect

Stamford Bridge will be the venue for Tuesday evening's premier Champions League encounter, as Chelsea renew their historic rivalry with Spanish champions Barcelona.

There are entire generations of Blues fans who harbor deep resentment toward the Catalan club purely due to what transpired in west London on May 6, 2009. A stoppage-time goal from Andrés Iniesta propelled Barça to the Champions League final at Chelsea's cost, but only after the home team saw numerous penalty appeals dismissed by referee Tom Henning Øvrebø.

Payback came in 2012, when an underdog Chelsea squad under Roberto Di Matteo shocked the Catalan powerhouse en route to their first Champions League title.

The clubs then clashed in the round of 16 during the 2017–18 campaign, where Barcelona dominated Antonio Conte's Blues.

The pressure isn't quite as intense this Tuesday, with both sides meeting on the fifth matchday of the league phase. Each team has collected seven points from their first four matches and finds themselves outside the top-eight qualification spots. Barcelona were part of a wild 3–3 stalemate at Club Brugge in their previous outing, while Chelsea managed only a draw away to Qarabag.

Nevertheless, both secured domestic wins over the weekend and currently sit in second place in their respective league standings.

Here's Sports Illustrated's preview of Tuesday's Champions League clash.

What Time Does Chelsea vs. Barcelona Kick-Off?

Chelsea vs. Barcelona Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)

Current Form (All Competitions)

How to Watch Chelsea vs. Barcelona on TV

Chelsea Team News

Chelsea's injury list remains unchanged from the weekend, with Dário Essugo, Levi Colwill and Roméo Lavia still unavailable.

Maresca offered a fresh update on Cole Palmer during his pre-match media session, confirming the England star will likely miss their upcoming encounters against Barcelona and Arsenal.

"We're uncertain when he [Palmer] will return, but it will definitely be soon. He's already training on the field, he's already working with the ball, and the signs [for him] are positive," the Italian manager stated.

Some changes are expected from Saturday's victory at Turf Moor, with Moisés Caicedo and Estêvão likely to feature in the starting eleven. Pedro Neto could keep his spot following his impressive weekend display.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona

Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Estêvão, Fernández, Neto; Pedro.

Barcelona Team News

Maresca has stated that football is "suffering" while Pedri remains out of action, and the Barcelona playmaker won't feature on Tuesday evening due to the injury sustained in El Clásico last month.

Frenkie de Jong will rejoin Hansi Flick's midfield setup, likely alongside Marc Casadó. Fermín López is expected to be preferred over Dani Olmo in the attacking midfielder position.

On the flanks, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are set to combine, while Robert Lewandowski has rediscovered his scoring touch up front. Flick should also have Marcus Rashford at his disposal.

Gavi remains injured for the visitors, while Marc-André ter Stegen is nearing his comeback. Joan García will guard the goal at Stamford Bridge, however.

Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea

Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): García; Koundé, Cubarsí, García, Balde; De Jong, Casadó; Yamal, López, Raphinha; Lewandowski.

Chelsea vs. Barcelona Score Prediction

The hostility from previous encounters has certainly diminished, but that doesn't mean we won't witness an electrifying spectacle under the Stamford Bridge floodlights.

Honestly, it's difficult to imagine either backline offering substantial resistance in this match. Chelsea possess the creative midfielders and attacking flair to trouble Barça's high defensive line, but their own defensive frailties are certain to be exposed by a Blaugrana side that becomes nearly unstoppable when firing on all cylinders.

This encounter promises to be an end-to-end thriller, with the away team more likely to emerge victorious.

Prediction: Chelsea 2–4 Barcelona