Key events
On the subject of international retirements: Jess Fishlock’s illustrious Wales career will end this month.
Millie Bright remains at the heart of Chelsea’s defence but the England chapter is over.
Having rotated heavily for last week’s match against Twente, Sonia Bompastor has opted for less tinkering this time round: Hannah Hampton is back in net, with just two changes to the side that beat Tottenham 1-0 in the league. Ellie Carpenter is missing from the squad, while Niamh Charles drops to the bench. In come Sjoeke Nüsken and Sandy Baltimore.
The teams
Chelsea: Hampton, Nüsken, Björn, Bright, Baltimore, Captain, Walsh, Cuthbert, Rytting Kanydyde, Beever-Jones, Thompson
Subs: Hang, Buurme Riding, Kerr, Charles, Bronze, Hamano, Potter, Sarwie
Paris FC: Farms, Ould Hocine, Davis, Creoter, Book, Picard, Corshec, Corboz, Garbin, Mateo, The Moguedec
Subs: Marques, Azzaro, Mendonça, Scott, N’Dongala, Jedlinska, Haheim, Sissoko, Liaigre, Yerro
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to another evening of Champions League action: Paris are in London.
Chelsea, still waiting to lift this trophy, got their campaign off to an awkward start last week, relying on a Sandy Baltimore penalty to take a point at Twente. While the WSL champions – who remain unbeaten this season – dominated on the ball and whipped in cross after cross, their final touch was off. Maybe a kickabout at Stamford Bridge, under lights, is the required tonic.
Paris FC, who came through qualifying to reach the league stage, gave up a 2-0 lead against OH Leuven to draw last week, and their brief relationship with Chelsea is not pretty: the English side won 4-0 and 4-1 when the two sides met in the 2023-24 group stage. Then again, Twente didn’t have history on their side either. Kick-off’s at 8pm BST.
