Chelsea vs Basel - Team News, Match Preview & Likely Line-Ups

Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Thursday, 2nd May K/o: 20:05 BST

Team News

Chelsea will be without Ashley Cole for this evening's visit of FC Basel to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of the Europa League semi-finals, the left-back picked up a yellow card in the first game and will be suspended. Ryan Bertrand is expected to deputise, while long-term absentees Oriol Romeu (knee) and Marko Marin (thigh) remain sidelined, while the ineligible Demba Ba will also sit this game out. Basel boss Murat Yakin isn't expected to make too many changes to the side that lost the first leg 2-1 in Switzerland. Defender Kay Voser is the only player ruled out through injury while Aleksandar Dragovic is suspended, and is likely to be replaced by Gaston Sauro.

Key Facts

The last team to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Europe was Manchester United in April 2011. Yakin's side have played six away matches in the Europa League so far this season, winning none of them. Fernando Torres has been fruitful in this competition, scoring four goals in seven appearances, though he has no league goals in 2013. Marco Streller is Basel's joint-top goalscorer in the Europa League with defender Fabian Schar. Both have four goals. (Goal.com)

Likely Line-Ups

Chelsea Œech, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand, Lampard, Luiz, Ramires, Moses, Torres, Hazard Basel Sommer, Degen, Schär, Sauro, Park, Nenny, Die, Frei, Salah, Streller, Stocker Now click "Next" for our Match Preview
Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.