Chelsea and Sporting Lisbon are playing live on the UEFA Champions League schedule on Wednesday and the match from Stamford Bridge starts up at 2:45 pm ET on Fox Soccer 2Go from England and this matchup has the Blues already through as the winners of Group G, while SL is looking to get at least a draw to get to the last 16.
Chelsea will have some men down, as Jose Mourinho will be resting John Terry, Eden Hazard and Willian for the matchup. The move is a smart one for Chelsea, as they do not need this match as badly as others and they also have a very busy schedule this month in the Premier League. The team just lost on the EPL schedule for the first time this season and with six games in three weeks, the club needs to make sure everyone is fit for the most important matchups.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech could get the call for the team and Chelsea comes in after losing against Newcastle and while Mourinho said his team was not affected by the loss, they will not take Lisbon lightly either. Cesc Fabregas could play since he will be suspended against Hull this weekend and that could help keep him fresh, while Diego Costa also is a question for the game, as he has played very well overall this season.
The Blues should have midfielder Nemanja Matic while 18-year-old midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek could get some playing time with all the other names sitting out. Chelsea comes in after the away loss against Newcastle and that followed a 3-0 drubbing of Tottenham in their previous match and now they have the chance to finish things off here. Chelsea has been one of the best teams in England and they currently have the lead in the EPL.
The team has some tough games coming up and they have a busy schedule with Southampton, Stoke City, Hull City and the FA Cup coming up. The team is three points clear of Man City in the standings and they are also eight points up on Manchester United. The team is likely to remain in the top four all season, but they have to be careful during this stretch. The Blues had not lost until last week and that allowed some teams to close in and with the busy schedule coming around the holidays, those clubs can continue to close the gap if they leave points on the pitch.
Check here for the Chelsea and Sporting Lisbon live coverage.
