Chelsea vs Vllaznia match facts

Chelsea, runners-up in this tournament in 2020/21, will be aiming to kick off their home Group A campaign with a victory against Vllaznia, the first Albanian side to reach this stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The Londoners became the first side to inflict a group stage defeat on Paris Saint-Germain with a 1-0 win in the French capital on 20 October, Millie Bright's emphatic 27th-minute volley the first goal scored against Les Parisiennes in seven UEFA Women's Champions League group fixtures.

Vllaznia managed to frustrate last season's quarter-finalists Real Madrid for over 50 minutes in Shkoder, but eventually suffered a 2-0 loss after conceding to Esther González (54) and Olga Carmona (76pen).

The Albanian champions faced 33 attempts against Las Blancas – more than any other side on Matchday 1 – and were the only team to fail to muster an effort on or off target themselves across the first round of group fixtures.

Vllaznia's Kaylin Conner Williams-Mosier made nine saves on Matchday 1, the most of any goalkeeper in the opening round of games.

Chelsea, who did not progress from their section last term following a three-team tiebreak with Juventus and Wolfsburg, recorded just one victory on their own turf in Group A in 2021/22, squeezing past Servette 1-0 at Kingsmeadow on Matchday 4.

Emma Hayes' side managed just one goal across their final two Group A home fixtures last season – Sam Kerr's 67th-minute winner against Servette – after scoring three in their Matchday 1 draw with Wolfsburg.

Players to watch

Pernille Harder

The 29-year-old marked her first Blues appearance of the season with two goals – including one from the penalty spot – in the 3-1 Women's Super League victory away to Everton on 16 October.

Harder scored in the London club's first two matches in last season's group stage, including the winner in the 2-1 Matchday 2 success against Juventus in Turin.

The midfielder struck 15 goals in all competitions for Emma Hayes' side last term as they won the Women's Super League and FA Cup double, finishing as the club's second highest scorer behind Kerr's final tally of 29.

Harder was among the nominees for last season's Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year and Women's Super League Goal of the Season awards, losing out to team-mate Kerr on both occasions.

The Danish international is a three-time beaten finalist in this competition, having been a runner-up with Wolfsburg in 2018 and 2020 before appearing in Chelsea's 2021 final loss to Barcelona.

She ended 2018/19 as the UEFA Women's Champions League leading scorer with eight goals despite her Wolfsburg side going out in the last eight.

Ezmiralda Franja 

The 25-year-old completed 90 minutes in the 2-0 Matchday 1 home loss to Real Madrid on 20 October.

The defensive midfielder also played every minute of the three qualifying matches as Vllaznia became the first Albanian club to reach the last 16 of any UEFA competition since Tirana in the 1989/90 men's European Cup.

The Vllaznia captain scored in the 6-0 league win away to Teuta Femra on 16 October.

Franja has been with the club since 2014, captaining them to their ninth successive league and cup double last season.

She was one of four players to be ever-present in Albania's ten matches in qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, along with Vllaznia team-mates Megi Doci, Sara Maliqi and Viona Rexhepi.

Key facts

Chelsea have lost only one of their last seven UEFA Women's Champions League matches (W4 D2).

The Blues are unbeaten in their last ten European games at their own stadium (W7 D3), keeping seven clean sheets.

The London club have also kept four clean sheets in their last five UEFA Women's Champions League matches.

Vllaznia have won only two of their last 12 UEFA Women's Champions League matches (D4 L6).

The Albanian side are unbeaten in their last 12 away games in all competitions.