Chelsea will search to extend their winning run in the UEFA Women’s Champions League as they host Celtic at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

The Blues are yet to drop points in the Champions League so far this season, with three straight wins seeing them top their group standings. A heavily rotated Chelsea outfit were able to get the job done at Celtic Park last week, scraping a 2-1 victory despite conceding the first goal.

Sonia Bompastor has been here before, being the first woman to win the Champions League as both a player and as a manager following her European triumph with Lyon in the 2021/22 season. The French boss will be eager to share that experience with Chelsea, as the Blues search to finally land the European title that always agonisingly eluded Emma Hayes.

Tournament newcomers Celtic put in a brave performance against the reigning WSL champions last week, and will be eager to capitalise on those bright moments heading into the away leg. However, with Chelsea registering 26 shots against the Scottish side, it might have been a case of the Blues failing to capitalise on their chances, rather than Celtic overperforming.

Here’s 90min’s preview of Wednesday’s clash.

Chelsea vs Celtic H2H Record (All Time)

Last meeting: Celtic 1-2 Chelsea (13 November 2024) – UEFA Women’s Champions League

Current form (all competitions)

Bompastor made wholesale changes to her Chelsea side to face Celtic last week, making eight alterations to the winning team that beat Liverpool the Sunday before. The changes had haphazard effects on the performance, with many players struggling to find rhythm in the team.

It’s highly likely that the Blues boss will make imilar adjustments this time around, however we can expect less experimental changes in order to ensure that Chelsea can assert as much dominance as possible.

Returning from a triumphant 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday that saw them jump to the top of the WSL, Chelsea will certainly come out firing on Wednesday.

Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones will be ineligible to play in the match after being sent off in the away leg last week. Centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan will also be missing after the club confirmed she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament against Liverpool earlier this month.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Celtic FC (3-4-1-2): Hampton; Perisset, Bright, Bjorn; Lawrence, Cuthbert, Jean Francois, Baltimore; Kaptein; Hamano, Macario

Celtic have struggled in Europe so far, and are now faced with their biggest challenge yet as they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Murphy Agnew scored the opening goal against the Blues at Celtic Park, and will play a key role if the visitors are going to have any hope at breaking down the Chelsea defence. Goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty played a vital role in minimising the away side’s threat last week, and a solid performance will be required of her once again on Wednesday evening.

Celtic predicted lineup vs Chelsea: (4-3-3): Daugherty; Lawton, Clark, Hayes, Barclais; McGregor, Ross; Smith, Gallacher, Ashworth-Clifford; Agnew

Despite the tight scoreline in the reverse fixture, Chelsea will be keen to arrive a more clinical version of themselves at The Bridge. Bompastor’s Blues will have their sights on solidifying their spot at the Group B summit, and a home game against Celtic arrives as the perfect opportunity to do so.

Prediction: Chelsea 4-0 Celtic

READ THE LATEST WOMEN’S FOOTBALL NEWS, FEATURES & ANALYSIS