Ajax vs Chelsea LIVE result: Score, goals and reaction from the Champions League
Frank Lampard’s side travelled to Amsterdam and earned a big three points
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea travelled to Amsterdam where they beat Ajax in the Champions League to claim a major scalp.
Frank Lampard’s side were defeated by Valencia in their opening Group H fixture but recovered with a gritty away win at Lille to restore the club’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.
And they added a huge three points to their haul with an impressive and mature display from Frank Lampard's young side.
Match preview:
When is it?
Kick-off is at 5:55pm BST on Wednesday 23rd October.
How can I watch it?
The match will be broadcast on BT Sport 3, with coverage beginning at 5:15pm.
Subscribers to BT Sport can watch the game online or on mobile via the BT Sport player and BT Sport app.
Team news
N’golo Kante and Ross Barkley have been ruled out of the fixture, however, Callum Hudson-Odoi is in line to make his first Champions League start. Starlet Billy Gilmour has also travelled to Amsterdam.
Ajax have no fresh concerns, however, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar may drop out of the starting eleven that defeated RKC Waalwijk on the weekend. Nico Tagliafico returns from suspension.
The France international could move on in January to secure his place in the Euro 2020 squad for Les Bleus, he's not in the starting line-up tonight:
Chelsea haven't been beaten in four previous European games against Dutch opposition. They've won two against Feyenoord in the 1999-00 Champions League and drew twice with AFC DWS in the 1968-69 Fairs Cup.
It's been 14 years since Ajax won three consecutive Champions League matches. In November 2005 they beat Thun twice and Sparta Prague.
Chelsea are on a record breaking European run, they've gone eight away matches without losing since a 3-0 to Barcelona in March 2018.
Quincy Promes is looking to become the first player to score in his first three Champions League appearances for Ajax, having netted against Lille and Valencia this campaign.
Against Lille, Tammy Abraham became Chelsea's first English scorer in the Champions League since Gary Cahill in November 2015.
Only three Englishmen have done so in consecutive games for the club - Frank Lampard (five times), John Terry (three times) and Dennis Wise (twice).
Chelsea are aiming to win six games in a row under Frank Lampard but the manager is keen to stress it's lack of importance to the squad. He said:
"We are expecting a really tough match against a team who we know how they performed last year,
"Now they have started this group winning both games comfortably, so it is going to be a tough match. I don’t think our five wins in a row mean anything other than I hope we have some confidence but this will be a completely different challenge which we need to be ready for."
He went on to explain his thoughts on the challenges that Ajax pose for his side.
"I respect the Ajax team. I watched them last year and I know the team has changed slightly but I am very aware of the new threats and anywhere you travel in the Champions League is a difficult match. "We are not scared of Ajax but we hugely respect them as a team. We also have confidence in ourselves."
The spotlight tonight will be on Chelsea's young guns. Lampard has given Champions League starts to five players (Mount, Abraham, Tomori, James, and Hudson-Odoi) 21 years or younger this season.
Speaking about the impact of Callum Hudson-Odoi and whether he is in the spotlight, Lampard said:
"I think he is but so are other players and with that comes my problem of selection for games as I have a competitive squad. Some are fresh to the Champions League and some have been here before, but just isolating Callum, his performance against Newcastle was huge signs of what we want to see. "We know the talent is there and it is great his contract is signed now, and the problems he gave Newcastle were things I really want to see consistently from him, which are end product and delivery to the box, getting at people and running behind.
"Christian Pulisic’s impact was good when he came on as well. Callum gave me that in his display from the start and Christian gave me that in his display coming on, and in terms of the wingers I have, Willian gave me that, Pedro gives me that so I have good selection problems when people come on and make a difference. That is what we are all about. "The extra level that is the Champions League – the detail, the focus, concentration for 90 minutes, making the most of tiny moments, will be a test for all the young players, not just Callum."
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