Gianfranco Zola
Former Chelsea forward on BBC Radio 4's Today programme

Image source, PA Media

Everybody at Chelsea knows the importance of this game and they will be fired up. Chelsea are a young team, they want to play well and they want to win against Barcelona.

Chelsea have the possibility to do this because they are in a good moment.

With Manchester City's up and down form this season, pundits have suggested that the presence of Erling Haaland up top and the goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was always going to stand Pep Guardiola's side in good stead.

Tonight, they're testing the waters without both of them.

Could the test backfire?

Joe Cole
Former Chelsea and England midfielder on TNT Sports

They have got to be alive. You can't allow yourself to get caught in the headlights with the atmosphere.

You have got to stop the rhythm of a De Zerbi side. They have got to look for space in behind.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea made a tentative first offer for Barcelona attacker Fermin Lopez over the summer but it quickly became clear that it would take a substantial bid to sign him.

Since then, Fermin has become an automatic starter and taken Dani Olmo's spot, while the Blues signed Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton instead.

That's another interesting little connection before the match.

Buckle up, folks. We're moments away from kick-off.

It's absolutely bouncing at Stamford Bridge.

This is a Champions League blockbuster on paper.

Will it live up to the hype?

Joe Cole
Former Chelsea and England midfielder on TNT Sports

Looking at the way Eddie Howe has set up with the pace up front away from home, it is perfect.

They will get the ball and you will feeding it into Willock or Gordon to hit Marseille on the counter. I can see what he is doing.

Image source, Getty Images

Jose Mourinho's Benfica have picked up their first victory in the main phase of this season's Champions League with a 2-0 away win in the Netherlands against Ajax.

Samuel Dahl gave Benfica a sixth-minute lead before Leandro Barreiro sealed the three points when he added a late second goal.

Ajax are bottom of the league with five losses and are in massive danger of not making it into the playoffs.

In the other early kick-off, Union St-Gilloise of Belgium gained their second victory of the campaign thanks to an excellent 1-0 away victory against Galatasaray in Turkey. Promise David scored early in the second half, with the hosts ending with 10 men following the dismissal of Arda Unyay.

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at Stade Velodrome

It's initially hard to spot where Newcastle United supporters are at the Stade Velodrome.

There are very few - if any - black and white shirts or scarves in the stands as the travelling support have been advised by the club not to wear anything that will identify them.

They can still be heard, however.

The mere sound of the away singing "Na na na na, Geordies!" has triggered loud whistles from all four corners of the stadium.

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

As a manager, what you want to build is a balance. When I looked at Pep Guardiola's team tonight, I thought to myself that it was a good team despite the 10 changes.

He is no longer building a team, he is building something a bit more than that. He wants another set of eyes on his work these days.

You have to build dynasties but you also have to try to build a squad.

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to TNT Sports about his team selection: "Lewis Hall in particular is a player we have to keep fit. Gordon coming into the team, that's a different dynamic, and we have to protect Nick (Woltemade) as well. We hope Anthony does really well today.

"The togetherness and support we get from our fans tonight will be incredible. We want to use the hostility here to our benefit."

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez
Football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

World snooker champion Zhao Xintong is in attendance here tonight, showing off the famous trophy he won at the Crucible back in May.

It looks like he is a Manchester City fan, holding up a home shirt with 147 printed on the back.

What a player he is, by the way. Have been fortunate to see him in action numerous times.

Michael Brown
Former Man City midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live at the Etihad

Pep Guardiola has gone strong in the Champions League so far this year, he has clearly wanted to get out the blocks in this competition, so that's what has shocked me about him making 10 changes tonight.

They are looking a bit bruised and you felt this was a chance to put things right, but I suppose it will be a big opportunity for a few players to come in and stake their claim.

Erling Haaland is a phenomenal goalscorer, but even the best have an off day in front of goal, and he had one of his worst on Saturday against Newcastle.

Only once has Haaland been more wasteful - based on xG - in a Premier League game than he was at St James' Park and that was in May 2023 at Brighton.

Without their main man this evening, where are the goals going to come from for City?

Haaland has scored 58% of their goals, taken 30% of their shots and had 57% of their xG - which are all significant increases on previous Premier League seasons.

Image source, BBC Sport

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter at Stamford Bridge

Reece James gave a shout out in the matchday programme to Chelsea's former Champions League-winning defender Andreas Christensen, who is on the Barcelona bench.

"There's obviously quite a lot of history between Chelsea and Barcelona going way back, and there have been some classic games over the years," wrote James.

"I watched a few of them when I was growing up, and remember playing against them in the Uefa Youth League when I was in the academy.

"But this is the first time this generation of players have come up against them and we're looking forward to the occasion."

Chelsea drew Barcelona year after year following the Roman Abramovich takeover but more recently have mostly been drawing Real Madrid at this level so it is a welcome revival of an old rivalry.

Gianfranco Zola
Former Chelsea forward on BBC Radio 4's Today programme

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca has not only got the team playing very good football, he's got the team balanced and winning games.

I have to say I am impressed with his work. I saw his previous team Leicester play and I liked what I saw.

I was interested to see what he could do at Chelsea and it looks like he is succeeding. It's going in the right direction.

Nick Woltemade has big shoes to fill after Alexander Isak but the German is doing a decent job of it so far.

He's netted once in the Champions League this season and the Magpies would love him to notch again tonight.

But he'll have to do it from the bench.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

Harvey Barnes has possibly been the unluckiest player in English football in the last couple of years. I think he is absolutely fabulous, and he has been for a long time, but Anthony Gordon was taking up his position.

He had to wait for his opportunity for an awfully long time, but he has been given a run of games now and he is spectacularly good. He is a really important player for them.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Tonight's match at Etihad Stadium will be Pep Guardiola's 100th in charge of Manchester City in the Champions League (W 62 D 19 L 18).

He is just the third manager to oversee 100+ games with an English team in the European Cup/Champions League, after Alex Ferguson (190 with Manchester United) and Arsene Wenger (177 with Arsenal).

Guardiola joked in his pre-match press conference that he is "getting old because it's all milestones".

He added: "Huge competition. So nice and special. The players love it. It is part of who we are and what we have built as a team and club."