Schalke v Chelsea: Shock in store on the road for shaky Blues
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Runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea come face-to-face with their past, and not for the first time considering the coaches Roman Abramovich goes through, when they travel to Gelsenkirchen to take on old boss Roberto Di Matteo’s Schalke in Champions League Group G.
Jose Mourinho’s men are unbeaten in 2014/15, but we foresee a shock in our three best bets for the match.
Chelsea have been far from perfect in the Champions League this term, drawing away to Maribor and at home to their next opponents.
However, eight points from four fixtures so far means Jose Mourinho’s men can lose in Gelsenkirchen and still be assured of top spot with a win at home to Sporting in their last group game, bar an unforeseeable goal-difference swing.
Since being held to a Veltins Arena draw by the Slovenian’s at the end of September, Schalke have seen off Hertha Berlin, Sporting, Augsburg and Wolfsburg at home. They need to win this one too, so Chelsea, who are unbeaten in all competitions this term, look vulnerable.
This match could be a belter, as Chelsea have scored exactly two in four of their past five games, and Schalke have been involved in a couple of fixtures featuring five or more goals since the start of this month.
Diego Costa is in rare form for the visitors, with 11 goals in 13 Blues appearances all told this season, and the hosts have a couple of strikers in red-hot fettle.
Eric Choupo Moting is of interest in this market after scoring twice at the weekend, his fifth and sixth for the club since signing during the summer, but he can’t hold a candle to his Dutch teammate in the Champions League.
Huntelaar has bagged in three of his side’s four fixtures in the competition so far in this campaign, including the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, but with none of them opening proceedings, an anytime effort looks the way to play here.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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