There will be many more difficult challenges than a Cypriot club that did not even exist when Chelsea won their first Champions League trophy 14 years ago, although Liam Rosenior will worry for now what heavy weather his team made of this one.
Moisés Caicedo, the night’s outstanding player, scored the goal that decided the game – if only convincing a sceptical Stamford Bridge was as straightforward. Rosenior’s team were not a thrilling spectacle, especially given the scale of the mismatch, against opponents playing in their first Champions League season and missing many of their key players.
The grumbling about the club’s ownership, and the songs about Behdad Eghbali, have been the inheritance for Chelsea’s new manager after the messy end to his predecessor’s reign. This was Rosenior’s first Champions League night and his side head into their final match in the top eight of the super-table. That game in Naples on January 28 against Antonio Conte’s Napoli, who need to win, will be a very different proposition.
Just when it looked like Pafos, a team created from a merger between a couple of small Cypriot clubs in 2014, might seriously bruise Chelsea, Caicedo came to the rescue. Rosenior’s four games in four different competitions have been far from an embarrassment: three wins and one relatively narrow defeat to Arsenal in the first of a two-legged League Cup semi-final. It is the mood that is harder to change, and the players must be able to feel it.
The Pafos team managed by Albert Celades, a former Real Madrid team-mate of David Beckham, defended deep and asked Chelsea major questions of their passing and shape. Pafos faced their first-ever game against English opposition without many of their key players, including David Luiz, twice a Chelsea player in his career, who failed a late fitness test.
Sitting deep and forcing Chelsea to move the ball quickly, Rosenior’s side failed to break through the lines. “We had just one [specialist] centre-back [available],” said Celades, who picked three centre-backs nonetheless. “We had to create a new defensive line,” he added, “with players not used to playing in that position.”
Chelsea fans have learned to reserve judgment on new managers – and they have had some good ones at the club over the years. From early-career José Mourinho to late-career José Mourinho; various other imported big-hitters and one club legend in Frank Lampard. Where Rosenior fits in all that does not yet seem clear. Thus far it seems like the fans have largely ignored him and it will take some big strides forward to change that.
“I have to keep focussing on the job, which is to win as many games as possible,” Rosenior said when it came to the subject of the club’s restless support. “I can’t affect what people prejudge me as or prejudge things that are happening. From my point of view, I’m very excited for the future of the club with the squad that we have, the youth of the squad, how much it can improve.
“With small things and little tweaks and little improvements, I think this team can go a long way. I would love the fans to be with us and to be with me. But to do that, I need to earn that. It’s two-way.”
There was no Cole Palmer, who was withdrawn with what Rosenior described as a “really, really minor” injury sustained against Brentford. Chelsea lacked a certain edge and it was a struggle to get the crowd onside. Reece James came off at half-time, another precautionary measure, which meant a reorganisation and the arrival of Estêvão Willian on the right wing.
The teenager gave the team a jolt with his directness. In the first half, Pedro Neto’s running inside from the right wing on his left foot looked Chelsea’s best attacking threat. But against a five-man defence and a solid midfield of four, the passing was just not swift enough to break down a determined side recruited from all over Europe and further afield.
On Liam Delap’s first start for Chelsea in the Champions League, the Englishman struggled to find the kind of positions in the area where he might pose a threat. Rosenior would later argue that the game was not suited to Delap’s preference for space in behind, but this is a challenge that Chelsea will face on a regular basis. On 70 minutes, Rosenior activated the emergency substitutions and sent on João Pedro and Marc Cucurella, among others. Eight minutes later he finally had his goal.
There was an injury for goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen who had to come off at half-time, replaced with Robert Sánchez.
Rosenior would say that a goal from Enzo Fernández disallowed on 18 minutes for a push on the Dutch defender Derrick Luckassen was “very harsh” and would likely have stood in the Premier League. Otherwise Chelsea tried and failed to break down Pafos. There were chances for Caicedo who hit a couple of good shots. Pafos struck the post on one rare breakaway when the Brazilian winger known as Jaja hit a shot that clipped James’s left wrist.
The goal finally came on 78 minutes when Benoît Badiashile checked Luckassen at what was Chelsea’s 14th corner. Pafos failed to clear and Caicedo headed the ball in.
Joleon Lescott on Estevao
Joe Cole on Moises Caicedo
Rosenior wins on Champions League debut
Post-match thoughts of Moises Caicedo
Final games for English clubs on matchday eight
Arsenal vs Kairat
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham
Liverpool vs Qarabag
Manchester City vs Galatasaray
Napoli vs Chelsea
PSG vs Newcastle
Chelsea’s next five fixtures
January 25: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea (Premier League)
January 28: Napoli vs Chelsea (Champions League)
January 31: Chelsea vs West Ham (Premier League)
February 3: Arsenal vs Chelsea (League Cup)
February 7: Wolves vs Chelsea (Premier League)
Tonight’s Champions League results
Galatasaray 1 Atletico Madrid 1
Qarabag 3 Eintracht Frankfurt 2
Atalanta 2 Athletic Bilbao 3
Bayern Munich 2 Union SG 0
Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Juventus 2 Benfica 0
Marseille 0 Liverpool 3
Newcastle 3 PSV 0
Slavia Prague 2 Barcelona 4
FT stats
Possession: Chelsea 71%-29% Pafos
Shots: 21-4
Shots on target: 7-2
Corners: 15-2
Touches in opposition box: 37-7
Full time
There is the final whistle and Chelsea have scraped past Pafos 1-0 courtesy of Caicedo’s goal with just over 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Liam Rosenior wins his first game in the Champions League. Chelsea will travel to Italy to take on Napoli on the eighth and final matchday next week.
90+3 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Into the final added minute we go and Chelsea are looking pretty comfortable in possession as they run down the clock.
90+2 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Chelsea win themselves a corner and play is at the end of the pitch that they want whilst they hold onto a one-goal lead.
90+1 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Dimata spins Badiashile and gets his shot away from the left side of the box but it is straight at Sanchez.
90 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
There will be four added minutes.
89 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Final change for Pafos as Michael comes on. Full name, Georgios Michael. Gotta have faith, faith, faith!
88 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
That is a good opportunity for the visitors to equalise as a dangerous cross is sent in from the left which looks like it could pick out a few Pafos attackers but Sanchez gets out to punch it away.
85 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Chelsea look pretty comfortable right now but with only a one-goal advantage all it takes is one moment and the game can change.
Fernandez is into the book.
84 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Gittens clips in a cross from the left to the back post, looking for Estevao, but the Brazilian cannot make contact.
83 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Double change for Pafos as Bassouamina and Langa replace Sema and Orsic.
81 mins: Chelsea 1 Pafos 0
Pafos win themselves a corner as the final touch from a Sema cross comes off Badiashile. The delivery is poor and cleared to outside the box, where Dragomir hits a shot from range but it is straight at Sanchez.
GOAL! Caicedo heads Chelsea in front
They have had corner after corner tonight and finally the home side take advantage of one with just over 10 minutes remaining. It is flicked on at the near post and loops into the middle of the six-yard box. Caicedo is the hungriest to get to it first and heads into the bottom corner. Will VAR take a look at a possible push by Badiashile in the process of that corner? It is checked but cleared.
77 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea win their 14th corner of the night, which Neto will take...
73 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Gittens has not been on the pitch long but is into the book for a foul on Quina.
69 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Liam Rosenior has decided it is time for a triple change as Pedro, Cucurella and Gittens are coming on. Delap, Garnacho and Hato head off. Delap in particular had a very quiet night. Rosenior has now made all five changes by the 70-minute mark.
67 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
The Estevao effect in the second half has lifted the crowd a bit. Coming on for Pafos is Domingos Quina, a one-time prodigy who played in the academy at Chelsea and then at West Ham. He is 26 now and has quite the CV including Barnsley, Rotherham, Elche, Watford, Fulham and Vizela (Portugal Div 2).
66 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Boy has Hato bailed out Fofana, who plays a dreadful ball back towards goal and Quina gets on the end of it. However Hato tracks back to intercept.
Down the other end Garnacho has a big chance to put Chelsea in front but Luckassen slides in with a crucial block.
65 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Double change for the visitors as Quina and Dimata come on for Jaja and Anderson. Quina was in the youth ranks at Chelsea.
63 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea’s corner count is into double digits but they have not been able to take advantage of any of them.
62 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Estevao’s eyes light up as he drives across the box but Bruno makes an essential block. Had he not made that intervention, that shot may well have ended up in the back of the net.
61 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea are camped deep inside the Pafos half and the visitors are unable to get out at the moment. A goal for Chelsea does feel like it is coming.
59 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Neto shoots from range and for a moment it looked like it was going to catch Gorter out in the Pafos goal but the visiting keeper makes the save. The replays show there was a small deflection, which explains why he was nearly caught out but he reacted well. Gorter has made a number of important saves tonight.
57 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
The pressure is ramping up on Pafos and they are being pegged back. They are having to weather a storm right now.
55 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Neto clips in a corner from the right and there are appeals for handball inside the Pafos penalty area. It does hit Dragomir’s arm as he tried to head it away but VAR has cleared it.
Moments later Sema is into the book for a foul on Neto.
53 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Estevao stings the palms of Gorter with a crisply-hit volley from the right side of the box.
52 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Pafos counter after a Chelsea corner and Jaja has a pass in behind for Orsic to put his teammate through one-one-one but the ball is poor. Jaja knows that pass was on and he should have made it.
51 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Two subs at half-time for Rosenior: Estevao on for Reece James and the goalkeepers have switched. Filip Jorgensen injured. It means Fernandez has dropped to a deeper midfield position and Neto has come off the right wing to play as a No 10. Neto had been Chelsea’s best attacker on the right in the first half.
49 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Sema gets past Gusto on the left side of the box and then wins the visitors a corner off Fofana. The corner is taken short before Orsic sends in a dreadful cross that goes behind for a goal-kick. A complete waste from the away side.
47 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Sema initially gets the better of Fofana and drives into the Chelsea box but Fofana recovers well to block the attempted cross.
46 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Estevao has come onto the right, with Neto moving inside to play in behind Delap, who was on the periphery of the game in the first half.
Second half
We are back under way at Stamford Bridge. Liam Rosenior has decided to make a double change at the break as Estevao is coming on as is Sanchez. James and Jorgensen head off. Jorgensen, who came into the starting XI tonight, had been struggling with a knock towards the end of the first half and is replaced at half-time by Sanchez.
Tonight’s Champions League games
Galatasaray 1 Atletico Madrid 1 FT
Qarabag 3 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 FT
Atalanta 1 Athletic Bilbao 0 HT
Bayern Munich 0 Union SG 0 HT
Chelsea 0 Pafos 0 HT
Juventus 0 Benfica 0 HT
Marseille 0 Liverpool 1 HT
Newcastle 2 PSV 0 HT
Slavia Prague 2 Barcelona 2 HT
Anxiety inside Stamford Bridge
Half-time and the Shed End are already singing unfavourable songs about the current Chelsea ownership. One can only assume the second half will be an improvement for Rosenior’s side. They have been flat so far. The passing has just been so slow against a deep-lying opponent. There have been a couple of decent hits from Caicedo, and a chance for Hato - all of which might have gone in on another day. But the team is not carrying the crowd with them and that is contributing to the anxiety.
HT stats
Possession: Chelsea 72%-28% Pafos
Shots: 11-1
Shots on target: 3-0
Corners: 6-0
Touches in opposition box: 16-1
All the statistics in Chelsea’s favour but the most important one, the scoreline, is level.
Half-time
A late chance in the half for the home side but Hato is denied by a good save from Gorter.
The first half is brought to an end and it remains goalless at the break. The visitors have got to the break without conceding and have had arguably the best chance of the game having hit the post via a deflection from James.
45 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
There will be two added minutes at the end of this first half.
44 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Pafos have mainly been able to frustrate Chelsea in this first half but they are still struggling to get their foot on the ball for more than 10 or 15 seconds, which will not help their cause as the game progresses. Having said that, they have come closest to scoring thus far.
42 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Caicedo strikes a shot well from the edge of the penalty area but it is straight at Gorter.
41 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Neto, as he done on a few occasions in this first half, cuts inside and whips a good ball towards the far post but neither Delap nor Garnacho can get on the end of it. Probably more blame on his teammates than Neto there.
38 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea have had over 70% possession and seven shots but the closest either side have come to scoring was the visitors when they hit the post.
35 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
James is causing some problems for Pafos with his inswinging deliveries from the left.
That is a big save from Gorter as he denies Caicedo as the shot came through a few bodies. Seconds later Badiashile heads just wide as he flicked it on towards the far post.
33 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Orsic is booked and it is an absolutely ridiculous yellow. The ball hits the referee so play is stopped but then Orsic inexplicably belts the ball forward. Straightforward yellow card.
31 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Pafos hit the post and there are appeals for handball! Jaja cuts onto his right and gets his shot away from just inside of the box. It takes a deflection off James and then comes back off the post. The Pafos players are convinced it hit James’ arm and it did but it was not deliberate and James had his arm tucked in so no penalty, which VAR confirms. James is actually fortunate not to booked for a cynical foul in the build-up to that moment.
27 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea are sending plenty of crosses in towards the far post, especially from the right, and you could so a goal coming from that. Fernandez’s disallowed goal came from one of those crosses to the back stick.
24 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Gusto is lucky there. He hooks a dangerous ball back his own keeper, which is nearly intercepted by Anderson but Jorgensen gets out in time to deal with any possible danger.
23 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Pafos look well-drilled in their defensive shape at the moment but they are not showing much in possession. It will be a long night for the visitors if they cannot keep the ball at all for any period of time.
19 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea have struggled to break down the Pafos 5-4-1 system in any meaningful way so far. Neto has been the biggest threat coming off the right on his left foot. Neto’s cross for Enzo Fernandez’s disallowed goal. Alejandro Garnacho yet to get behind Pafos. Away team naturally very deep and quite solid.
17 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea have the ball in the Pafos net but the whistle has gone. Neto clips a ball to the back post, looking for either Delap or Fernandez. The latter ends up heading the ball into the back of the net but he had pushed the defender Luckassen in the back. Fernandez cannot believe that decision but there was a clear push and that is the right call to chalk that off.
16 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Some inside Stamford Bridge thought the hosts had taken the lead. After good work from Fernandez out on the left, the ball comes to James in a central position just outside the box. He tries to pick out the bottom corner but his shot goes just wide.
15 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea have been rather lacklustre thus far. Yes, they are playing against a very low block and 11 men behind the ball but they are not moving the ball quickly and the passes are not incisive enough. They may have to be patient but they will have to speed their passes up.
10 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Neto cuts inside from the right and drives across the face of the box. He shoots with his preferred left foot and tries to pick out the top corner but his effort flies into the crowd. Too much power, not enough accuracy or precision.
9 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Play has been halted as Bruno has gone down for the visitors. The medics are summoned but he is then back to his feet fairly promptly after they came on.
7 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
It has been a sloppy start from Chelsea, with a few overhit or loose passes. A few whistles from some inside Stamford Bridge.
5 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Chelsea look a little shaky in possession inside their own penalty area and that gives the travelling Pafos fans behind the Chelsea goal in this first half a lift.
4 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Luckassen brings down Garnacho down Chelsea’s left, giving the hosts a good chance to send it into the Pafos penalty area. James is standing over this free-kick alongside Neto.
James is the man to take but the delivery is poor, not even beating the front man.
2 mins: Chelsea 0 Pafos 0
Unsurprisingly, the visitors have plenty of men behind the ball and are operating with a back five.
Kick-off
We are under way at Stamford Bridge. Liam Rosenior’s first Champions League game in charge begins.
Nearly ready for action
Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at Stamford Bridge. Here is a reminder of the teams:
Chelsea: Jorgensen, Gusto, Badiashile, Fofana, Hato, James, Caicedo, Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Delap.
Substitutes: Sanchez, Cucurella, Gittens, Santos, Pedro, Chalobah, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao, Walsh, Emenalo.
Former Chelsea defender David Luiz is only on the bench for the visitors.
Pafos: Gorter, Sema, Luckassen, Pileas, Bruno, Pepe, Sunjic, Jaja, Orsic, Dragomir, Anderson.
Substitutes: Petrou, Michael, David Luiz, Goldar, Quina, Bassouamina, Dimata, Langa, Michael, Fontoura Caldierado.
Empty seats?
Greetings from Stamford Bridge, during a brief interlude on the eternal rain destined to fall on London from now until perhaps the semi-finals of this competition. No Cole Palmer for Chelsea; and David Luiz only on the bench for Pafos. His arrival in 2011 was a mini-sensation at Chelsea in an era when they weren’t quite so accustomed to characters of his type. Looks like a few empty seats in the stadium. Let’s see if they fill up before kick-off.
Two other English clubs in action
Down on the French south coast, Liverpool are taking on Marseille whilst in the north east of England, Newcastle are hosting PSV.
David Luiz back at Stamford Bridge
Although he is only on the bench for the visitors tonight.
Tonight’s Champions League games
Galatasaray 1 Atletico Madrid 1 FT
Qarabag 3 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 FT
Atalanta vs Athletic Bilbao
Bayern Munich vs Union SG
Chelsea vs Pafos
Juventus vs Benfica
Marseille vs Liverpool
Newcastle vs PSV
Slavia Prague vs Barcelona
Pre-match thoughts of Liam Rosenior
Pafos’ last five results
Olympiakos 2 Pafos 0 (Cypriot First Division)
Pafos 2 Omonia Aradippou 0 (Cypriot First Division)
Pafos 2 Akritas Chlorakas 1 (Cypriot Cup)
Apollon 2 Pafos 1 (Cypriot First Division)
Paralimni 0 Pafos 2 (Cypriot First Division)
Chelsea’s last five results
Chelsea 2 Brentford 0 (Premier League)
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 3 (League Cup)
Charlton 1 Chelsea 5 (FA Cup)
Fulham 2 Chelsea 1 (Premier League)
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1 (Premier League)
David Luiz interview: Roman Abramovich told me I was crazy
Liam Rosenior on the futures of Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling
Chelsea’s Champions League results and fixtures
Matchday one: Bayern Munich 3 Chelsea 1
Matchday two: Chelsea 1 Benfica 0
Matchday three: Chelsea 5 Ajax 1
Matchday four: Qarabag 2 Chelsea 2
Matchday five: Chelsea 3 Barcelona 0
Matchday six: Atalanta 2 Chelsea 1
Matchday seven: Chelsea vs Pafos
Matchday eight: Napoli vs Chelsea
Teams in full
Liam Rosenior has made six changes from the 2-0 win over Brentford. Filip Jorgensen, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Liam Delap all coming in. There is no Cole Palmer in the matchday squad.
Chelsea: Jorgensen, Gusto, Badiashile, Fofana, Hato, James, Caicedo, Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Delap.
Substitutes: Sanchez, Cucurella, Gittens, Santos, Pedro, Chalobah, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao, Walsh, Emenalo.
Former Chelsea defender David Luiz is only on the bench for the visitors.
Pafos: Gorter, Sema, Luckassen, Pileas, Bruno, Pepe, Sunjic, Jaja, Orsic, Dragomir, Anderson.
Substitutes: Petrou, Michael, David Luiz, Goldar, Quina, Bassouamina, Dimata, Langa, Michael, Fontoura Caldierado.
How the top half is shaping up
Chelsea could move into the top eight with a win tonight heading into the final matchday next week.
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Chelsea team
Will Rosenior claim first Champions League victory?
Matchday seven of the Champions League continues as Chelsea host Pafos at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have only played Cypriot opposition on two previous occasions, winning 1-0 away and drawing 2-2 at home against APOEL Nicosia during the 2009-10 Champions League season.
Since their last Champions League game last month, Chelsea have changed managers, from Enzo Maresca to Liam Rosenior, who won his first league game in charge at weekend, beating Brentford 2-0. Chelsea have three wins from their first six Champions League games and are currently sat in 14th, three points off the top eight. This will be Rosenior’s first taste of Champions League football.
“Your dream as a player or coach is to be at the very top of the game,” Rosenior said. “The Champions League is a signal of that. It is not about me, my focus in winning the game. Pafos is not an easy game, they can still qualify.
“It would be optimal [to finish in the top eight], especially when you are a new manager coming in you want those training days. But, the most important thing is getting through.”
Rosenior has confirmed that Tosin Adarabioyo will be out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury. They are though set to welcome back Estevao, Jamie Gittens and Malo Gusto.
Pafos, who have never played English opposition, come into this game off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Olympiakos in the Cypriot top flight. That defeat leaves them five points off leaders Omonoia, but they do have a game in hand. They have just one win from their opening six Champions League games, with just six points to their name, but they could move into the play-off places with a win.
“We are excited to be here, facing one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Pafos head coach Albert Celades said. “Thank you to all the fans for making the trip to London, tomorrow [tonight] will be historic.”
There is a former Chelsea man in their ranks in the form of David Luiz, who signed for the club back in the summer. He has scored in this season’s Champions League, becoming the second oldest player to score in this competition behind Pepe.
Team news to follow shortly.