Nordsjaelland v Chelsea: Blues don’t score many on the continent
Published:Chelsea began their Champions League defence by drawing with Juventus, so a win is required in Denmark if they wish to prevent the Old Lady taking a stranglehold of the group.
The Blues are 4/11 to put three points on the board in Nordsjaelland, a feat they have managed on their two previous trips to Denmark, without conceding a goal.
It’s 5/4 that Roberto Di Matteo’s men are as convincing again against the Champions League debutants and win to nil, whereas 1/1 says that they’ll keep a clean sheet.
An unknown quantity, Norsdjaelland was a name the vast majority of Chelsea fans hadn’t heard until they were drawn alongside them in Group E and, for this reason alone, they’ll be expecting an easy ride here.
The hosts’ form heading into this one isn’t great either with just one win in five, including a 2-0 defeat on their Champions League bow at Shakhtar.
Dutch striker Joshua John poses the biggest threat to the Chelsea goal. The on-loan FC Twente man has picked up eight goals in as many games in the red of the Wild Tigers and is a decent price to net any time at 3/1.
Daniel Sturridge has failed to recover from the hamstring complaint that has kept him out for the past fortnight, but Frank Lampard is expected to start in the Blues’ engine room.
The 34-year-old is a 7/1 shot to break the deadlock at Farum Park as he looks for his 15th Champions League goal.
Despite the poor form of the Danes, they are sure to be pumped up to host their first Champions League game and will be looking to frustrate the reigning kings of Europe as best they can, whereas Chelsea will just be looking to get the job done.
This is why an away win with two goals or fewer scored in the game is a bet worth getting involved with at sizeable odds of 5/2.
They have only scored one win in four years worth of road trips in this competition where more than two goals have been scored; expect more of the same here.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
