Chelsea turn their attention to the Champions League next up, where a clash with Barcelona will present a few fresh challenges for Enzo Maresca and his side to deal with.
14:35, 23 Nov 2025
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick speaks to the press before a Champions League match
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Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has spoken about Robert Lewandowski(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Chelsea are looking to continue their recent run of form as they switch from the Premier League to the Champions League in the coming week. The Blues are second in the English top flight, with confidence running high, but there is work to be done on the European stage.
Enzo Maresca's side are 12th in the Champions League and will be aiming for a top-eight finish to ensure an automatic place in the round of 16. A disappointing 2-2 draw with Qarabag last time out left plenty to be desired, but it will be a different challenge next up when they take on Barcelona.
The Blaugrana are just one place above Chelsea in the league table format, sitting 11th with an identical record of two wins, one draw, and one defeat. Hansi Flick has faced some fresh problems this season, not least with teams finding ways to disrupt the high offside line that the side hold.
Barcelona still have plenty of dangerous players in their ranks, however, which Maresca will have to find ways of dealing with. There is a doubt as to whether Marcus Rashford will be available, after a bout of illness, though the return of Lamine Yamal is something of a boost.
However, it's the presence of experienced striker Robert Lewandowski that could prove to be all the difference. The Polish international has come in for plenty of praise before the meeting at Stamford Bridge, in a warning from Flick to Chelsea.
He told the press, after Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club: "Over the past 10 years, he’s been one of the best No.9s in football. His age doesn’t affect him: he’s fit, he’s hungry for goals, and that’s important. For him to score the first goal in the new Spotify Camp Nou is something truly special."
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Lewandowski joined Barcelona back in 2022 from Bayern Munich, and has continued with the sort of scoring that has made him such a feared marksman across Europe. The 37-year-old has scored 109 goals in 160 appearances for the club since that move, with 20 assists to his name too.
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The forward himself discussed his side and their form when speaking to DAZN after the win at the weekend, as he said: "We were determined to attack from the start. So it felt special to score the first goal. I'm very proud. We have a very good team and now we have to look ahead. When we play at Camp Nou, we're a slightly stronger team."
Fortunately for Chelsea, they are at home instead, which may well level out the playing field for the side. It'll be the first meeting between the two teams since 2018, when Barca ran out as 3-0 winners.
Both teams have changed plenty in the seven years since that clash, with their progress set to be measured against one another.