Chelsea vs Slavia Prague
Europa League 2018-19
Quarter-final, second leg (1-0 agg)
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Thursday, 18 April, 2019
Kick-off: 8pm GMT
Chelsea will be considered strong favourites to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League for the second time when they host Slavia Prague in their last-eight second-leg tie tonight.
The Blues, who won the competition in 2013, mostly flattered to deceive in the Czech capital last week, but secured victory and a vital late away goal courtesy of left-back Marcos Alonso.
Maurizio Sarri's men will now be expected to put the disappointment of a 2-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool to one side - a result that contributed to them losing their short-lived grip on fourth place - and extend their 14-match unbeaten streak in European football's secondary club competition.
Czech First League leaders Slavia Prague, who drew 1-1 with rivals Sparta at the weekend, have lost all six of the European ties in which they were defeated at home in the first leg.
They have beaten English opposition just once in 10 attempts and won only three of their previous 27 European away matches.
Chelsea team news and line-ups
Chelsea XI: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Christensen, Emerson, Kante, Kovacic, Barkley, Pedro, Giroud, Hazard
Subs: Caballero, Jorginho, Higuaín, Hudson-Odoi, Zappacosta, Willian, Cahill
Slavia XI: Kolar; Kudela, Ngadeu-Ngadjui, Deli, Boril; Kral, Soucek; Sevcik, Traore, Zmrhal; Masopust
Subs: Kovar, Olayinka, Zeleny, van Buren, Stoch, Skoda, Frydrych
Score prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Slavia Prague
In addition to Slavia Prague not faring too well on the road in Europe, Chelsea have triumphed in all 11 European ties in which they have won the first leg away from home.
That run should continue here, though the Czech outfit are certainly no pushovers and will look to punish any signs of complacency.
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