Premier League champions Chelsea will look to put their recent domestic disappointments to one side when they return to the sanctuary of the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday.
Chelsea's title defence is faltering after successive defeats to Manchester City and Crystal Palace has left the London club trailing Pep Guardiola's side by nine points after eight games.
However, Chelsea are faring much better in the Champions League having opened their campaign with a 6-0 win against Azerbaijan's Qarabag, before becoming the first English club to win at Atletico Madrid last time out.
_______________________________
Read more:
Watch: A look back to Lionel Messi's La Masia days 13 years after making Barcelona debut
Jupp Heynckes: On Comeback Number Four, the firefighter Bayern Munich turn to in times of need
Zinedine Zidane: Harry Kane 'a complete player' as speculation mounts over Real Madrid interest
_______________________________
Next up for Chelsea and their manager Antonio Conte is Italian side Roma at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Similarly, Roma have endured a stuttering start to the Serie A season and sit fifth, nine points behind leaders Napoli, albeit the capital club have a game in hand on the sides above them.
A win will hand Chelsea a five-point lead at the top of Group C and go a long way to assuring their place in the last-16 knockout stage.
Chelsea fans will be delighted at the images of star striker Alvaro Morata back in full training after he limped off during the defeat to City and was sidelined for the Palace loss.
Morata, the club's record signing from Real Madrid, had sustained a hamstring injury but appears to have fully recovered in time for the Roma match.
Chelsea will still be without midfielder and PFA player of the year N'Golo Kante, who is expected to be sidelined for another three weeks with a hamstring injury.
