Match ends, Chelsea 0, Sevilla 0.
ChelseaChelsea0SevillaSevilla0
Edouard Mendy has established himself as Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper after again "showing his quality" in his side's goalless Champions League draw with Sevilla, says boss Frank Lampard.
Mendy, who joined from Rennes in September, produced an excellent save to help the Blues open their European campaign with a hard-earned point against Europa League holders Sevilla.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, the Senegal international marked his return from injury by clawing away Nemanja Gudelj's header after it had flicked off Kurt Zouma.
It was a pivotal moment of the game and Lampard praised his recent signing, who was brought in to strengthen his options following the erratic form of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Chelsea's £71m signing from Athletic Bilbao.
Asked if Mendy is already Chelsea's number one, Lampard said: "At the moment, yes. He's shown his quality.
"The way he's played, he's played very well, that's two clean sheets for him already.
"As it stands he is the number one but that's always up for grabs. But the way he's playing I'm very happy."
In what was Chelsea's first goalless draw under Lampard, the Blues produced a solid defensive performance without managing to score at the other end.
Zouma and Ben Chilwell both headed chances straight at goalkeeper Yassine Bounou before Sevilla went close to taking the lead in spectacular fashion through substitute Joan Jordan's dipping volley.
With Group E rivals Rennes held 1-1 in France, Chelsea head to Russia next Wednesday to face Krasnodar with all four teams on one point.
- Reaction from Tuesday's Champions League games
- Cech added to Chelsea squad - despite retiring in 2019
Positives for Lampard despite draw
Chelsea have started this season with a flurry of goals at one end of the pitch - and defensive implosions at the other.
While they failed to score for only the second time in eight games this season, Lampard's side at least managed a clean sheet after a much-improved performance at the back.
Fifty-eight days after appearing in the final for Paris St-Germain, Thiago Silva returned to the Champions League stage as Lampard shuffled his defence after conceding three against Southampton last Saturday.
Reece James also marked his return with a solid display on a night Lampard became only the second Englishman to manage in two Champions League campaigns, after Sir Bobby Robson.
"The clean sheet was a big deal for us," added Lampard.
"Seville are a top team in European football. The concentration and focus to get the result was big from the team.
"We made a lot of good decisions, so it's a really nice place for us to build from."
New signings bedding in
Chelsea spent £250m during the summer transfer window, with five of their recent additions starting this game.
Three - Mendy, Chilwell and Silva - impressed at the back as the Blues produced their best defensive performance of the season to stop the Spanish visitors from scoring on the night 38-year-old keeper Petr Cech, who retired in 2019, was named in Chelsea's Premier League squad.
Sevilla beat Wolves and Manchester United on their way to winning the Europa League last season but they were unable to find a way past a well-drilled Chelsea backline.
Chilwell also impressed going forward and it was his corner which set up a great chance for the unmarked Zouma.
The former Leicester player was presented with a chance of his own but could not beat Bounou.
Fewest attempts at goal since 2015 - the stats
- Chelsea recorded just six shots, their fewest attempts at goal in a Champions League game since February 2015 - against Paris Saint-Germain (2).
- The Blues have drawn five of their past eight Champions League home matches, as many as in their previous 33 games in the competition at Stamford Bridge.
- Sevilla are unbeaten in the first match of their last five Champions League campaigns (W2 D3).
- Chelsea have won just one of their past 10 Champions League games against Spanish opposition (D6 L3).
- Sevilla have failed to win any of their past five away games in the group stages of the Champions League (D4 L1).
What's next?
Chelsea are back in action on Saturday when they meet Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League (17:30 BST).
Player of the match
MendyEdouard Mendy
with an average of 6.86
Chelsea
Avg
- Squad number16Player nameMendyAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number24Player nameJamesAverage rating
6.64
- Squad number6Player nameThiago SilvaAverage rating
6.58
- Squad number21Player nameChilwellAverage rating
6.57
- Squad number7Player nameKantéAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number17Player nameKovacicAverage rating
6.09
- Squad number11Player nameWernerAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number10Player namePulisicAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number22Player nameZiyechAverage rating
5.64
- Squad number5Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number19Player nameMountAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number15Player nameZoumaAverage rating
5.39
- Squad number9Player nameAbrahamAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number20Player nameHudson-OdoiAverage rating
5.13
Sevilla
Avg
- Squad number16Player nameNavasAverage rating
6.48
- Squad number10Player nameRakiticAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number19Player nameAcuñaAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number5Player nameOcamposAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number7Player nameSusoAverage rating
6.24
- Squad number25Player nameFernandoAverage rating
6.21
- Squad number3Player nameGómezAverage rating
6.14
- Squad number20Player nameDiego CarlosAverage rating
6.13
- Squad number6Player nameGudeljAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number9Player nameL de JongAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number13Player nameBonoAverage rating
6.04
- Squad number8Player nameJordánAverage rating
5.93
- Squad number22Player nameVázquezAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number21Player nameTorresAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number15Player nameEn-NesyriAverage rating
5.40
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Mendy
- 24James
- 6Thiago Silva
- 15Zouma
- 21ChilwellBooked at 64mins
- 5JorginhoBooked at 14minsSubstituted forKovacicat 65'minutes
- 7Kanté
- 10PulisicSubstituted forHudson-Odoiat 90+1'minutes
- 29Havertz
- 19MountBooked at 36minsSubstituted forZiyechat 62'minutes
- 11WernerSubstituted forAbrahamat 90+1'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 2Rüdiger
- 4Christensen
- 9Abraham
- 13Caballero
- 14Tomori
- 17Kovacic
- 18Giroud
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 22Ziyech
- 28Azpilicueta
- 33Emerson
Sevilla
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Bono
- 16Navas
- 3GómezSubstituted forJordánat 33'minutesBooked at 87mins
- 20Diego Carlos
- 19AcuñaBooked at 43mins
- 25Reges
- 6Gudelj
- 10RakiticSubstituted forVázquezat 80'minutes
- 7Fernández SaezSubstituted forTorresat 58'minutes
- 9L de JongSubstituted forEn-Nesyriat 80'minutes
- 5Ocampos
Substitutes
- 1Vaclik
- 4Rekik
- 8Jordán
- 11El Haddadi
- 14Rodríguez
- 15En-Nesyri
- 18Escudero
- 21Torres
- 22Vázquez
- 24Fernández
- Referee:
- Davide Massa
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamSevilla
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 0, Sevilla 0.
Post update
Foul by Franco Vázquez (Sevilla).
Post update
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Callum Hudson-Odoi replaces Christian Pulisic.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Tammy Abraham replaces Timo Werner.
Post update
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Reece James.
Booking
Joan Jordán (Sevilla) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Franco Vázquez replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Substitution
Substitution, Sevilla. Youssef En-Nesyri replaces Luuk de Jong.
Post update
Foul by Joan Jordán (Sevilla).
Post update
Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Hand ball by Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla).
Post update
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla).
Post update
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Luuk de Jong (Sevilla) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Ben Chilwell.
Post update
Attempt missed. Joan Jordán (Sevilla) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Kai Havertz.
Post update
Corner, Sevilla. Conceded by Reece James.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Obviously though the main plus for Chelsea here is that they now appear to have someone who can catch, make saves and generally seems understand and appreciate the responsibilities that come with the job title 'goalkeeper'.
I'll give Lampard the benefit of the doubt and say the team needs more time to gel but soon we might be asking if the players need a better manager
A very well earned point against a quality European team.
"This Chelsea team are still developing/gelling."
Frank just needs time & a few more Windows.
My concern is that Sevilla just showed the blueprint for how to slow us down. They fronted Werner and Pulisic to deny them service, and allowed Havertz and Mount to run around like schoolboys, to no effect.
Not a Chelsea supporter but if I were I'd be OK with this.
Creation was lacking though...
Coming from a Chelsea Supporter.
Next time Frank!
21:57
"That’s it I’m no longer a Chelsea fan! An absolutely disgraceful performance yet again! In all my years as a football fan of this team I’ve never seen a group of players so lazy and pathetic. I’m becoming a Man Utd fan. They play real football. Thankyou & goodbye."
Looks like Stormbringer has changed his name again.