Champions League round of 16 preview: Where to watch, starting lineups, and roster changes between Chelsea and LOSC

Despite Chelsea finishing second in their group, Thomas Tuchel’s team made easy progress as they won all three of their home games and kept a clean sheet. Contrarily, LOSC had to wait until the very last game to qualify, with their 3-1 victory at Wolfsburg securing their spot in the round of 16, and their 2-1 victory at Sevilla on Matchday 4 being crucial to their rise to the top of Group G.

Reporter Andrew Haslam from Chelsea
After two losses and five draws in December and January, Chelsea has fallen behind the leaders in the Premier League, but Thomas Tuchel’s team has been dominant in elimination games. Earlier this month, the Blues defeated Al Hilal and Palmeiras to win the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. Prior to this, they had also advanced to the FA Cup final 16, the English League Cup final, and the final 16. The Champions League winners have struggled with goals, but if Tuchel can figure out a way to get Romelu Lukaku to play more frequently, Chelsea will pose a threat once more.

Reporter Ian Holyman for LOSC
After a rough start to their title defense, LOSC supporters will be delighted that their club has finally recovered some kind of form. Jonathan David’s assurance in front of goal, nevertheless, is a cause for concern. The Canadian international has not found the back of the net since before Christmas, after scoring three goals during the group stage. To seize the few opportunities that LOSC are likely to produce, they need him to be razor-sharp.

What the coaches say

Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea manager: “We all know how physical French football is, how physical the attacking players are, how brave they are in one-on-ones, very disciplined against the ball, and [LOSC] have the chance to play this game as underdogs. It will be like always: we respect the game, respect the opponent, and prepare the team as we always do.”

Coach of LOSC Jocelyn Gourvennec: “We had a challenging start [this season] in the Champions League. We surprised everyone by coming in first place, even though nobody expected that. Tomorrow, there will be an additional step versus the reigning champs. It’s a really difficult task.”

Squad substitutions: Lewis Baker out; Kenedy in; Chelsea in

LOSC In: Edon Zhegrova, Domagoj Bradarić, and Hatem Ben Arfa
Those absent are Yusuf Yazıcı, Rocco Ascone, Reinildo Mandava, Jonathan Ikoné, and Cheikh Niasse.