Chelsea’s match with Lille could decide the future of their backline – opinion | OneFootball

Chelsea face Lille in the Champions League tonight in a game manager Frank Lampard has described as a “knockout” fixture, knowing that a win over the group’s bottom-placed side would ensure progression to the knockout stages.

The Blues have not won a home Champions League game in their last five attempts and Antonio Rudiger, who is set to return from injury, could play a vital role.

After returning from knee surgery to play 45 minutes against Wolves in September, the 30 cap German international sustained a separate groin injury which has kept him out of action until this fixture. Since returning to elite-level European football this season, Lampard’s side have kept just a single clean sheet, in the 1-0 away victory over Ajax.

Rudiger’s introduction, with Fikayo Tomori set to possibly miss the game through injury himself, could help ensure that Chelsea keep their second clean sheet of the competition and take their manager into unknown territory.

Rudiger may have missed his manager’s youthful revolution through injury, but this crunch game against Lille is the perfect opportunity to show the manager he is a superior defender to Kurt Zouma, who has played in the 26-year-old’s absence.

Comparing Rudiger’s performances last season to Zouma’s this campaign, the German averaged more tackles, 1 per game and committed fewer fouls, 0.8 than his teammate. Although the French defender, to his credit, made more clearances, there is not much to choose between the two defenders who could partner one another this evening.

While the game against Lille will decide if Chelsea make it through to the knockout phases of the competition, it may also be the decider as to who is Tomori’s long term partner at Stamford Bridge. Lampard will get an excellent look at both players side by side this evening and that direct comparison may cement in his mind who his first choice centre back pairing for the rest of the season will be.