Best Betting Tips ⚽ Chelsea 1-0 Zenit Predictions | Champions League

Chelsea – Zenit Predictions and Tips For Today

Chelsea - Zenit PredictionsFree Daily Soccer Betting Tips for Today, September 14.
Kick-off: 21:00 (GMT+1)
Champions League – Group Stage – Round 1
EVENT: Chelsea – Zenit
TIPS: HT/FT – 1/1 | Odds: 1.66@1xbet | Result: 1:0(0:0) LOST

Chelsea – Zenit Preview

  • UEFA Champions League (UCL) holders Chelsea are out to defend their crown as they head into this first-ever clash against Russian visitors Zenit Saint Petersburg. Although these sides haven’t met competitively before, the ‘Blues’ should be confident of starting their European campaign with a win given they’re yet to lose against Russian opposition in the UCL (W5, D1).
  • It’s also been two years since Chelsea last lost a UCL group stage match (W7, D4), whilst in the current group stage format that was established in 2003/04, only once have the Londoners had a longer such unbeaten run (13, 2008 to 2010). Adding to their current run here looks more than possible, particularly given their solid form at the back. That’s because Chelsea have kept three clean sheets across their last four competitive matches this season, whilst no team can better their total of nine in the UCL since the start of 2020/21.
  • Zenit travel to England with the opportunity to make history as no team has ever beaten UCL defending champions when they commenced the following campaign at home (D6, L12). The odds are firmly stacked against them though, given their poor recent record in Europe where they’re winless in seven UCL games (D1, L6) – their longest such run in the competition’s history.
  • An edge Sergei Semak’s men might have over their hosts is that their domestic campaign started earlier in July. They’ve yet to taste defeat across their eight competitive matches so far (W6, D2), scoring 3+ goals in five of those clashes.
  • Players to watch: Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku has found the net in his previous two appearances against Russian opposition. His attacking counterpart Artem Dzyuba is looking to make Zenit history, with one goal needed to become the club’s joint-top UCL scorer with ten.
  • Hot stat: Zenit have lost their previous three European fixtures in England – two by a slim 1-0 scoreline.