Heavyweight European Clash at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea welcome Barcelona to Stamford Bridge this evening for what promises to be a thrilling Champions League encounter. After competing in the Europa Conference League last season, this is exactly the type of glamorous fixture that Blues supporters have been craving to see return to west London.
The match kicks off at 8pm on November 25, 2025, with Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side building significant momentum after climbing to second place in the Premier League. The Catalan giants arrive in London for what represents one of the most anticipated fixtures of the European football calendar.
Team News and Starting Lineups
Maresca has made a significant selection decision by handing a start to young talent Estevao Willian, while Pedro Neto leads the attacking line ahead of Joao Pedro who drops to the bench.
Chelsea Starting XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Estevao, Fernandez, Garnacho, Neto.
Chelsea Substitutes: Jorgensen, Acheamphong, Tosin, Hato, Badiashile, Santos, Buonanotte, Gittens, George, Guiu, Joao Pedro, Delap.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has selected Joan García in goal, with Marcus Rashford returning to the squad after missing weekend action due to illness. The former Manchester United forward takes his place among the substitutes.
Barcelona Starting XI: Joan García; Koundé, Cubarsí, Araújo, Balde; Eric García, De Jong, Fermín; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Ferran Torres.
Barcelona Substitutes: Bardhji, Bernal, Casado, Christensen, Fernandez, Kochen, Martin, Olmo, Raphinha, Rashford, Szczesny.
Historical Context and Key Battles
Chelsea have enjoyed a strong record against Barcelona in recent Champions League history, having lost only one of their last nine meetings with the Spanish giants. That solitary defeat came in their most recent encounter back in March 2018, when they suffered a 3-0 loss at Camp Nou that saw them eliminated from the competition at the last-16 stage with a 4-1 aggregate defeat.
One of the most intriguing subplots to tonight's match involves the battle between two of football's most exciting young talents. Chelsea's Estevao Willian and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal are both expected to play significant roles, with fans eagerly anticipating how these emerging stars will perform on such a prestigious stage.
According to Betfair, the pre-match odds positioned Chelsea as slight favourites at 11/8 to secure victory, with Barcelona at 7/4 and the draw priced at 29/10.
Broadcast Information and Match Coverage
The Champions League clash will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video for subscribers in the UK. Metro's comprehensive live matchday blog provides minute-by-minute coverage, including team news, goal updates and all the crucial moments from what promises to be an enthralling European night at Stamford Bridge.
With both teams fielding strong lineups and several fascinating individual duels set to unfold, this encounter between Chelsea and Barcelona represents exactly why the Champions League remains football's most prestigious club competition.
