Rosenior Aims To Avoid Playoffs As Chelsea Edge Towards Dream Champions League Debut

Chelsea target a place in the Champions League top eight when Pafos visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, with Liam Rosenior describing leading the club in Europe as a personal dream while stressing that the priority is securing automatic progress to the last 16 and avoiding extra play-off ties.

The Premier League side sit 13th in the league phase before facing the Cypriot team, two points behind the positions that guarantee direct entry to the Champions League knockout stage with two fixtures left, and Rosenior knows Chelsea’s next result could prove vital in shaping the rest of the campaign.

Rosenior will experience a major Champions League night in charge of Chelsea against Pafos, yet the head coach keeps attention on competitive targets rather

than personal milestones, stressing that extra free midweeks created by a top-eight finish would be useful for training work with the squad.

"Your dream, as a player or manager, is to be at the top of the gamethe Champions League is a signal of that,said Rosenior. It's not about me; my focus is on winning the game and being successful here. It would be optimal, it would be great [to finish in the top eight]. When you're a new manager coming in, you want those extra training days to work. "

Chelsea arrive in strong European form at Stamford Bridge, unbeaten in 14 consecutive Champions League group or league-phase home matches, with 10 wins and four draws, and the team have claimed victory in all three home fixtures this season by an aggregate margin of 9-1.

This match against Pafos is only Chelsea’s third contest with opposition from Cyprus in Champions League history, after the 2009-10 campaign when Chelsea beat APOEL Nicosia 1-0 away but drew 2-2 at home, underlining how rarely the London side meet Cypriot clubs in major European competition.

Chelsea Champions League home record (current run)	Statistic
Unbeaten home games (group/league phase)	14
Wins	10
Draws	4
Current season home results	3 wins, 9-1 aggregate

Ready for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/oa7KoODL7NChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 20, 2026

Chelsea Champions League campaign and Enzo Fernandez role

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez again draws attention before this Champions League fixture, with reports in Spain linking the Argentina international with Real Madrid, yet Fernandez remains central to Chelsea’s season, having featured more times than any team-mate in 2025-26 across all competitions, including the Club World Cup.

Enzo Fernandez 2025-26 season	Number
Appearances (all competitions)	38
Goals	9
Assists	7
Direct goal contributions	16

"It means nothing to me, said Rosenior of the rumours surrounding Fernandez. When you're a world-class player, there is always going to be speculation you cannot control. Enzo has been outstanding in the time I have worked with him. He was ill on Saturday. The way he covered the ground, it surprised me. He's a Chelsea player. I hope we're going to have a successful working relationship in the long-term and short-term. "

Chelsea now approach the meeting with Pafos knowing a win would strengthen their Champions League position, preserve a long unbeaten home run and support Rosenior’s aim of extra preparation time, while Fernandez’s influence and future remain prominent topics around Stamford Bridge during a critical phase of the season.