Champions League last 16: previews and predictions for this week’s ties

Chelsea left it late against Crystal Palace on Saturday before Hakim Ziyech’s 89th-minute goal earned them a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park. Thomas Tuchel’s side have won their last five matches, a run they will hope to continue against Lille at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. The clubs have only met twice before in Europe – in the group stage of the Champions League in 2019 – and Chelsea won both of those games 2-1.

Tuchel is hoping to have Cesar Azpilicueta and Callum Hudson-Odoi available for selection. Andreas Christensen deputised for Azpilicueta at Crystal Palace on Saturday. If fit, Azpilicueta will probably play at right-back, but Tuchel may not wish to aggravate his groin issue with the League Cup final looming on Sunday. Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount are out, though Mount is at least back in training.

Having won Ligue 1 last year, Lille have been very disappointing this season and are not even in the top half of the table – they currently have a negative goal difference in the league. However, they have done a lot better in the Champions League, winning a group that also contained Red Bull Salzburg, Sevilla and Wolfsburg.

Leo Jardim has kept back-to-back clean sheets against Montpellier and Metz, and is likely to make his first Champions League appearance of the season in place of regular goalkeeper Ivo Grbic. Mehmet Zeki Celik is expected to return at right-back having sat out Lille’s goalless draw with Metz at the weekend due to a ban, while Gabriel Gudmundsson looks to have nailed down the left-back spot following Reinildo’s move to Atlético Madrid in January.

Angel Gomes lasted just 27 minutes against Metz before being forced off with injury and may miss the first leg in London. Timothy Weah