It is a first-leg Thursday at the Bridge tonight as we welcome Ukrainian opposition. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton look for a solid start in the Round of 16…


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TALKING POINTS

London’s football powerhouse connects with a Dynamo tonight. Let the sparks fly but, please, no shocks. Chelsea are now one of just 16 clubs hoping to hear the Europa League anthem composed by Eintracht Frankfurt fan Michael Kadelbach seven more times.

Along with the glory of a trophy win at the Olympic Stadium, Baku, a Champions League place is up for grabs by the winner. And thanks to a revival in the Premier League, that is not the Blues’ only option

This evening’s kick-off is an 8pm one; the return next week in Ukraine is at 5.55pm UK time. The away leg squeezes into a congested domestic schedule, so the 2013 winners will aim to take a decent lead with us on the 2,600 mile round trip.

The Londoners defend a great home record in continental fixtures this evening. Across all European competitions, including the Fairs Cup, the Blues have lost just eight of the 118 matches staged on our home ground, winning a whopping 82 of them (69.5 per cent), including last time out against Malmo, highlights of which are below…