Chelsea’s game against Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday night was a must-win.
Chelsea are fighting to finish in the top eight, which is why they needed to beat Pafos at Stamford Bridge.
As a result, Liam Rosenior put out a strong side, with the likes of Moises Caicedo and Reece James starting.
Who was your Man of the Match vs Pafos?
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Caicedo scored the Blues’ winning goal in their 1-0 victory, but James was taken off at half-time. Rosenior has since explained why the defender was substituted.
Liam Rosenior, Head Coach of Chelsea on the side line during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Chelsea FC and Pafos FC
Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Liam Rosenior planned Reece James change despite not normally doing pre-planned substitutions
In a post-match interview, Rosenior revealed that he does not usually pre-plan any substitution.
However, given James’ injury history and the number of games Chelsea have coming up, on this occasion, the 41-year-old decided in advance that his captain would only play 45 minutes.
Explaining to TNT Sports why he took James off, Rosenior said: “Managing, managing the group as best as I can. We have so many games; Reece is so important. I don’t normally do pre-planned subs, but I wanted Reece to feel the way I wanted the team to play, but I also need him because he’s so important for us.”
Pedro Neto really needs to mix up his game 🤦♂️
What did you make of his performance against Pafos?
Pedro Neto's number of crosses vs Pafos
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
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Rosenior is right to highlight the Englishman’s importance to the team. He has always been a good player but has now become an excellent leader.
James is demanding a lot from his teammates right now, keeping the standards at Chelsea high.
Reece James of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Chelsea FC and Pafos FC
Photo by Steve Bardens – AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea need Reece James for Napoli clash
Following their win against Pafos, Chelsea now know that if they beat Napoli next Wednesday, automatic qualification into the Champions League knockout round may be possible.
Rosenior will need James — his captain and one of his best players — for that game. It is why it made sense to give him some rest, with Chelsea having to play Crystal Palace before their trip to Naples.
It could have backfired, but thanks to Caicedo, the Club World Cup winners managed to get the job done against Pafos in the end.
Hopefully, that victory does not end up going to waste. It is going to depend on what happens at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium and elsewhere in the Champions League next week. No pressure, Mr Rosenior.
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