Chelsea have had 14 different scorers in the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel, the most of any team in the competition since his first game in February 2021.

The Blues’ top scorers in this period have scored just two goals each (Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho).

Since Thomas Tuchel’s first Champions League game in charge of Chelsea in February 2021, the Blues have only conceded three goals in 12 games.

If they keep a clean sheet in this game, they will be the fastest team and manager combination to reach 10 clean sheets in the competition (13 games), ahead of Ajax under Louis van Gaal, AC Milan under Fabio Capello and Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho (all 14 games).

Chelsea have won their last three games in the Champions League without conceding a goal. The only English team to do four in a row was Manchester United, twice under Alex Ferguson.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel speaking to BT Sport: "In general we need fresh legs because we want to play a high-intense game and at the level we're used to playing.

"The game today is not so much the problem. We had a day off and two days to prepare but we have to consider we play away and a late arrival on Thursday morning so we will lose sleep then play on Saturday. It is the moment to change and trust other players. We don't want to push players.

"It was possible to start with Ruben Loftus-Cheek again but he has not played three consecutive matches at the intense level much last year. We miss Jorginho. It is very likely that Ruben will finish the game for us but very likely just the last 30 minutes.

"We need all of our players back. Romelu Lukaku gets minutes in his legs so lets see how long he can play. He is crucial to us of course. We need everyone fit."

Nii: Chelsea line-up. Smh. Sarr, Saul. Not sure. No holding midfielder of note

Romelu Lukaku's last goal for Chelsea was when these sides last met on 14 September.

I don't want to say that was a long time ago, but Xisco Munoz was still Watford manager, Newcastle were still owned by Mike Ashley and Antonio Conte was still unemployed.

Malmo can break a Celtic record tonight.

The Swedes have lost all eight Champions League away matches, by an aggregate score of 33-2.

The can set a new record for longest away losing streak from a club's debut in the Champions League. They currently share the record of eight alongside Shakhtar Donetsk (2000-2006) and Celtic (2001-2004).

This will be the third time that Zenit have hosted English opponents, winning both the previous ones - 1-0 v Bradford City in the Intertoto Cup in July 2000 and 2-0 v Liverpool in the Europa League in February 2013.

Chelsea have won each of their three away games against Russian opponents in the Champions League, keeping a clean sheet each time.

Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal in their previous meeting this season.

Belgium Under-21 defender Koni de Winter (19y 179d) is the youngest player to start a Champions League match for Juventus.

De Winter's only senior experience was as a sub in the 4-0 defeat at Chelsea.

The previous Juve youngest CL starter was now retired Ruben Olivera (19y 193d) in a 2-1 win at Dynamo Kyiv in the first group stage on 13 November 2002.

Sports data analysists Nielsen Gracenote give Chelsea a 65% chance of winning their group.

They are the only English side who had not wrapped up top spot after five games.

Mateo Kovacic testing positive for Covid-19 is a "huge setback" for Chelsea, says manager Thomas Tuchel.

The Croatia midfielder had returned to training on Monday after being out since October with a hamstring problem, but tested positive on Tuesday.

"He was in training yesterday and with a big smile and it was a pure pleasure to have him back," said Tuchel.

"But he tested positive today, for coronavirus, so he's quarantining for a few days.

"It's a huge setback for him personally and for all of us."

Image source, .

Ross Mooring
Chelsea Fancast

Unfortunately, some slack defending, an extremely rare error from Edouard Mendy and a freak winner from West Ham underscored that this team might not quite be the finished article.

Chelsea now head to St Petersburg for a game they have to win to ensure topping their Champions League group, which would arguably lead to a kinder draw. But more than that, the team needs a 'get right' performance.

The club has again been linked with the excellently named Hungarian centre-back Atilla Szalai, who plays for Fenerbahce. Not only is Antonio Rudiger in the last year of his contract, but Andreas Christensen too. Talks with the Danish international and academy product are believed to have become a little acrimonious and with neither he nor Germany international Rudiger commanding a fee, wage demands are high.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says he "feels it personally" when they lose games and he has a "certain anger" to put it right.

The Blues lost to West Ham on Saturday, only their third defeat of the season.

"We dropped some points against Manchester United and we found a solution to win at Watford and it was a freak shot at West Ham.

"We've had this before, we have lost and we don't like it. I feel it personally. I have a certain anger and ambition to try to turn things around."

Juventus have lost four of their past nine games in all competitions.

They need to better Chelsea's result today to finish top of the group.

"We have to create the conditions to do better. In March it is another season altogether. We will need players to be in good shape and available," boss Massimiliano Allegri said.

"Now we finish the group stage, then we will focus on the league and in March we will think about the Champions League.

"We don't know the final positions yet. You want a bit of luck when they draw the names. You can finish first (in the group) and get Paris St Germain. The important thing is to go through, then we will see who we get in the last-16."

Image source, Reuters

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Juventus can still pip Chelsea to top spot, if Thomas Tuchel's side slip up, with Paulo Dybala and Moise Kean starting up front for Juve.

Juventus XI: Perin, Alex Sandro, Bonucci, Rugani, De Winter, Arthur, Bernardeschi, Rabiot, Bentancur, Dybala, Kean.

Subs: Szczesny, Pinsoglio, De Sciglio, Chiellini, de Ligt, Cuadrado, Locatelli, Miretti, Morata, Da Graca.

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This is going to be Malmo's last European game of the season as they are guaranteed to finish bottom of the group.

Malmo XI: Diawara, Moisander, Ahmedhodzic, Nielsen, Berget, Rakip, Colak, Olsson, Innocent, Christiansen, Birmancevic.

Subs: Dahlin, Ellborg, Larsson, Brorsson, Pena, Gwargis, Nanasi, Abubakari, Nalic.

-12C in December, Chelsea should be inside having a mulled wine or Irish hot chocolate - not playing a Champions League game.

It's -12C in St Petersburg!

Image source, EPA

On paper, the weakest Champions League group has led to a potentially dramatic final day.

Wolfsburg are bottom of the group but could go through in top spot. Lille are top but could go out.

There are two many permutations to go through but the headline is...

Lille and Salzburg just need a point, but Sevilla and Wolfsburg know a win would take them through.

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This is undoubtedly the big one tonight. Barcelona could be eliminated and drop into the Europa League.

If Barca don't win at group winners Bayern Munich - and Benfica win at home to eliminated Dynamo Kyiv, the five-time European kings are out.

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Chelsea

Image source, BBC Sport

Thomas Tuchel has made eight changes to the Chelsea side from Saturday's league defeat to West Ham.

Mason Mount, Andreas Christensen and Reece James retain their places.

Striker Romelu Lukaku starts after returning from injury, alongside Saul Niguez and Malang Sarr.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Sarr, James, Mount, Barkley, Saul, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Lukaku.

Subs: Bettinelli, Mendy, Alonso, Rudiger, Silva, Loftus-Cheek, Havertz, Pulisic, Ziyech.

Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren captains Zenit St Petersburg.

Zenit XI: Kerzhakov, Santos, Barrios, Lovren, Azmoun, Wendel, Malcom, Claudinho, Kuzyaev, Karavaev, Rakits'kyy.

Subs: Odoevski, Byazrov, Krugovoi, Mostovoy, Sutormin, Erokhin, Dzyuba, Ozdoev, Kravtsov, Kuznetsov, Khotulev.

Image source, BBC Sport

But wait, let's break away from permutations chat for some team news.