Chelsea vs Salzburg LIVE Football Score 14 Sept 2022
MATCH INFO
PREDICTION AND WINNING ODDS
ABOUT THE MATCH
Chelsea is going head to head with Red Bull Salzburg starting on 14 Sept 2022 at 19:00 UTC at Stamford Bridge stadium, London city, England. The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League, Group E.
Chelsea take on Red Bull Salzburg in Group E of the Champions League on Wednesday, with the Blues looking to win Graham Potter‘s first match in charge of the club.
Salzburg, meanwhile, recorded a respectable 1-1 draw against AC Milan last week.
It has been a tumultuous week for Chelsea, who moved to sack Thomas Tuchel after their 1-0 defeat away to Dinamo Zagreb last Tuesday, before replacing him little more than 24 hours later with former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter on a five-year deal.
Tuchel, who won the Champions League in his first season in charge before losing on penalties to Liverpool in both domestic cup finals last season, will forever be remembered fondly by the Chelsea fanbase, but new owner Todd Boehly seemingly felt the team’s stuttering form in the early part of this campaign was a sign of a malaise which may have proven difficult to overcome under the German’s management.
Having lavished around £250m on several new signings during his first summer transfer window at the club, Boehly does not lack ambition and he will hope Potter can work his magic on a talented group of players. The 47-year-old had gained 13 points in Brighton’s six matches this season, having guided the Seagulls to their highest-ever top flight finish by finishing ninth last season.
However, Wednesday’s visit of Salzburg will be Potter’s first ever Champions League match, illustrating how quickly he must adapt to the step up in class at his new environment. With reports suggesting Boehly tried to persuade Tuchel to switch to a 4-3-3 formation, it will be interesting to see whether the Englishman sticks with the three-man defence which brought him huge success with Brighton, especially as it is one which the majority of his new group are also used to in recent times.
One aspect which could work in his favour is that Chelsea and Brighton share one perceived weakness: the lack of an out-and-out goalscorer. It remains to be seen which individual Potter generally favours in a central role; with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling and Armando Broja to select from, he is clearly not lacking options.
Salzburg, meanwhile, have a host of injury problems, with Maximilian Wober, Oumar Solet, Kamil Piatkowski, Bryan Okoh, Mamady Diambou, Ousmane Diakite, Samson Tijani, Luka Sucic, Justin Omoregie and Sekou Koita all expected to be ruled out of the trip to London.
This leaves Strahinja Pavlovic as the club’s only fit senior centre-back, meaning either Andreas Ulmer or former Brighton man Bernardo may have to slot in alongside Pavlovic despite both naturally being left-back’s.
Teenage sensation Benjamin Sesko only featured from the bench against Milan after recently suffering a knock himself, but he should be passed fit to start here having opened the scoring away to Ried at the weekend.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Mendy; Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Cucurella; Mount, Havertz, Sterling
Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Dedic, Pavlovic, Ulmer, Bernardo; Capaldo, Seiwald, Kjaergaard; Kameri; Sesko, Okafor
