CHELSEA make the short trip to Lille as they aim to book a Champions League quarter-final place.

And they will be very glad it is a short trip as they have had their matchday transport budget restricted by government sanctions on Roman Abramovich.

Boss Thomas Tuchel even joked that he will drive a seven-seater to the match if the club can no longer afford a jet.

But the Blues should be reasonably confident of qualifying for the last eight after a comfortable 2-0 win in the first leg.

However, they will need to be wary as away goals no longer count double, meaning any two-goal defeat will see the game go to extra time regardless of how many goals Chelsea score in France.

And even if they do qualify, there is the possibility that they will have to play their quarter-final at Stamford Bridge behind closed doors, as they are not allowed to make money off ticket sales due to the sanctions imposed.

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What time does Lille vs Chelsea kick off?

• Chelsea visit Lille TODAY.
• The match kicks off at 8pm UK time – 9pm in France.
• It takes place at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.

What TV channel is Lille vs Chelsea on and can I live stream it?

• Lille vs Chelsea is live on BT Sport 2.
• Coverage commences at 7pm – one hour before kick-off.
• To stream the game live, head to the BT Sport website or app.

Team news

Ben Chilwell is out for the long term with ruptured cruciate ligaments.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and captain Cesar Azpilicueta are all in with a chance of returning for this game.

Latest odds

To win in 90 minutes

Lille 16/5

Draw 13/5

Chelsea 10/11

To qualify

Lille 14/1

Chelsea 1/80

*Odds from Betfair correct as of Sunday, March 13

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  Cheerful Tuchel at the wheel

  Thomas Tuchel is one of the most driven coaches in the game, but he was almost forced into taking that description to a new level this week.

  With Roman Abramovich sanctioned and Chelsea under special license from the government, the club have a limit of £20,000 that they can spend on each away game, sparking concern that they may not make it to Lille in order to play.

  However, Tuchel was able to smile about the situation when he met with the press on Monday, and joked that he would drive his team to France if necessary.

  Tuchel was adamant that his squad would be at the Stade Pierre Mauroy come what may, saying: "Honestly, we love football, so if we have a plane, we'll go by plane.

  "If not, we go by train and, if not, we go by bus and, if not, I'll drive a seven-seater!

  "We will arrive in Lille because we love to play the competition."

  Blues backed to win again

  Chelsea arrive in northern France with a comfortable first leg lead, and the bookies believe they have enough talent to chalk up another win on the night, pricing them at a touch of odds on to earn a victory inside 90 minutes.

  • Lille win 100/30
  • Draw 12/5
  • Chelsea win 19/20

  Reigning Ligue 1 champions Lille aren't given much of a chance of turning over the 2-0 deficit despite their opponents' perils, and can be backed at a whopping 14/1 to progress.

  • Lille to qualify 14/1
  • Chelsea to qualify 1/80

  Odds from Betfair correct at the time of post publication.

  The return of the champions

  Good evening and welcome to SunSport's live coverage of the second leg between Lille and Chelsea in the Last 16 of the Champions League.

  The saga of sanctions continue at Stamford Bridge, but tonight The Blues can get back to doing what they do best – playing European football.

  That was providing their players could even make it to France given the current limits on expenditure, but the team have arrived and will soon take to the field with a first leg advantage.

  Goals from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic in London three weeks ago have left the European champions with one foot in the quarter-finals, but they'd be foolish to take anything for granted with 90 minutes still to play. Just ask Manchester United.

  Thomas Tuchel has some selection issues to deal with after Reece James was ruled out. He once again joins fellow first choice wing-back Ben Chilwell on the treatment table.

  There's better news for defenders Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Marcos Alonso, who are all expected to be passed fit, but Callum Hudson-Odoi is another likely absentee.

  The hosts have injuries of their own, most notably to Renato Sanches, who impressed for an hour at the Bridge before the Premier League side put the reverse game to bed.

  However, Les Dogues have shown a stubbornness since that first leg defeat, and have kept three consecutive clean sheets domestically.

  They'll need more of that tonight, plus the firepower of Jonathan David and Burak Yilmaz, if Lille are to stop Chelsea from cruising through to the quarter-finals.

  The stage is scheduled for 8pm start at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, and we'll soon have teams news as part of our build-up to kick-off.

  

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