Chelsea dropped two points in the race to secure Champions League qualification as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford. With this match coming not even 72 hours after the midweek win over Tottenham, Enzo Maresca was expected to make changes but the team news did still come as a surprise.
Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Levi Colwill were among those to drop to the bench, as the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were handed rare starts. The best chances in the match fell Brentford’s way, Mikkel Damsgaard threatening in the opening period and Sepp van den Berg somehow heading into the ground and over the bar in the second-half, as Chelsea largely struggled.
Nicolas Jackson was introduced at half-time and offered more of a threat, but Cole Palmer’s arrival on the hour mark had little impact on the whole. He did, though, have an opportunity to snatch with the final victory, only to curl an effort just over the bar.
Brentford vs Chelsea latest news
- FT: Chelsea drop two points
Chelsea player ratings
16:09 , Matt VerriKiernan Dewsbury-Hall 5
Wasn’t as effective as Fernandez at wrestling free of his marker in midfield. Didn’t grasp this opportunity.
Noni Madueke 6
Sought to make things happen down his side of the pitch. Chelsea have missed him, for his unparallelled directness among Chelsea’s many wingers.
Jadon Sancho 5
A very quiet display from the Englishman, who didn’t move the ball quickly enough.
Read our ratings in full here!
FT: Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:54 , Matt VerriChance with the final kick!
Space for Palmer on his left foot, it’s a good effort... inches over.
And that’s full-time.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:51 , Matt Verri90+2 mins: Brentford not forcing anything on the ball.
They look the side happier to settle for a point.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:49 , Matt Verri90 mins: Four minutes added on.
Fernandez with a decent opportunity just inside the box, but he sends it a long way wide as he swivels.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:49 , Matt Verri89 mins: Doesn’t feel like one of those ‘there will be one more big chance’ kind of matches.
Quality in the final third has largely been lacking all match.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:46 , Matt Verri86 mins: Fernandez into the book for a hack at Mbeumo, caught him on the ankle.
Chelsea do love a yellow card. Only three this afternoon - well-behaved by their standards.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:4484 mins: How much do either side want to risk going for the win?
Chelsea, you feel, have more incentive to do so. That race for Champions League football is very tight.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:4081 mins: WHAT A MISS!
Brentford should be in front. Perfect cross clipped into the middle, Van den Berg somehow heads it into the ground and over from a few yards out.
And within a minute, another chance. Wissa flicks a header just wide!
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:38 , Matt Verri79 mins: Cucurella on for James.
Ajer heads the ball behind under no pressure, gifts Chelsea a corner.
Neto floats it in with absolutely no pace... terrible.
Brentford can break after a lovely touch from Mbeumo, one-two with Wissa and Sanchez is forced into a sharp save.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:36 , Matt Verri77 mins: So, so good from Jackson.
Brings the ball down, flicks it over his header and he’s away... until Van den Berg drags him back.
As easy a yellow card decision as you’ll see.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
15:36 , Matt VerriIt doesn't feel as though Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has taken his golden opportunity this afternoon.
He hasn't been as effective as Fernandez at wrestling free of his marker in midfield.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:35 , Matt Verri76 mins: Schade pounces on a heavy touch in midfield and Brentford can break.
Wissa makes the run, he should be played in but the pass forces him wide. Tosin deals with it from there.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:34 , Matt Verri74 mins: Brentford back off in defence, encouraging Fernandez to go for goal from distance.
Decides to do so from 30 yards out, blasted over the bar. Brentford knew what they were doing...
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:32 , Matt Verri72 mins: Good spell this for Brentford.
Again they get in down the left, Wissa it is in behind.
Blasted at goal, Sanchez not convincing at all in keeping it out. Offside flag up anyway.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:29 , Matt Verri70 mins: Should be 1-0!
Schade does brilliantly on the left, sits Gusto down.
Wissa waiting for a tap-in in the middle, but Schade goes for maximum power and he blasts the ball out of reach of Wissa.
Better ball and Brentford would lead.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:28 , Matt Verri69 mins: Brentford free-kick. 45 yards out, about as central as you can get. Not ideal.
They try to go straight down the middle as Wissa makes the run, but too many blue shirts there.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:25 , Matt Verri66 mins: Concern for Brentford, as Collins needs some treatment.
Happened as he stepped in to try and block an effort from Palmer.
He should be fine to continue. Brentford make a sub but it’s Yarmolyuk going off. Janelt on.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:23 , Matt Verri63 mins: Neto tries his luck from distance, before Jackson swings at thin air in the box. Chelsea pressure definitely bulding.
Corner into the near post, Flekken with a good stop at his near post.
He then launches the ball long to launch the counter, but Sanchez is off his line to mop up.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
15:21 , Matt VerriAlready, Neto has made a difference. Almost fires Chelsea into the lead, but Flekken parries.
Some patient attacking patterns in the next 10 minutes and I could see the visitors finding the breakthrough.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:20 , Matt Verri60 mins: Nearly an immediate impact.
Palmer drives forward, knocks the ball inside to Jackson. He lays it off for Neto, and Flekken makes a smart save to keep that curling strike out.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:17 , Matt Verri58 mins: Here are those Chelsea changes.
Madueke and Dewsbury-Hall make way, as Palmer and Neto are introduced.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:16 , Matt Verri57 mins: Jackson has definitely made a difference since he came on, offering far more than Nkunku.
Caicedo sticks out a leg and hooks the ball away from Damsgaard. Chelsea midfielder has been impressive again.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
15:13 , Matt VerriPalmer and Neto stripped and ready to come on.
That sort of time.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:12 , Matt Verri53 mins: Good reactions from Flekken, saves Brentford from a disaster as Van den Berg very nearly boots into his own net.
Chelsea corner, Jackson the target at the back post but Schade wins the header.
Chelsea stay on the attack, James tries his luck from 25 yards out and it’s blocked.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:10 , Matt Verri51 mins: Brentford turn the ball over and Schade can fly into space down their left.
He has Lewis-Potter free on the overlap, tries to pick out Wissa at the back post instead and it’s out of play.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:08 , Matt Verri49 mins: Fernandez with a great ball forward and Jackson has his first chance to get involved.
He makes the most of a high Brentford line, gets the shot away but it’s dragged wide of the far post.
Nobody was catching him.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
15:06 , Matt Verri47 mins: Brentford are looking for that long pass out wide at every opportunity. Space is there in behind the Chelsea full-backs.
Cross eventually comes into the box, James deals with it at the back post.
Back underway!
15:04 , Matt VerriChange at the break for Chelsea - Jackson on to replace Nkunku.
Gives you a fair indication of what Maresca thought about that first 45 minutes.
Around the grounds...
14:54 , Matt VerriFair to say we haven’t had the best of the action in the Premier League’s 2pm kick-offs...
Half-time scores:
Fulham 3-1 Liverpool
Tottenham 2-0 Southampton
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
HT: Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:48 , Matt VerriThat’s half-time.
Fairly quiet end to the opening period, but Brentford had the better of it earlier in the half.
Damsgaard, Mbeumo and Schade have all had promising moments.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:47 , Matt Verri45 mins: Headed away by Caicedo, before Brentford then play it 70 yards back to Flekken. Groans from the home fans.
Two minutes added on.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:46 , Matt Verri44 mins: Palmer and Jackson chatting away on the touchline, as they warm up.
On the pitch, Tosin is into the book for a bit of a wild challenge.
Yarmolyuk knocked the ball past him, got caught on the ankle out wide.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
14:43 , Matt VerriChelsea on the ropes, really.
Look like they desperately need half-time to arrive.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:42 , Matt Verri41 mins: Madueke briefly think he’s in space in the box, but he lunges to try and control the ball and catches Collins.
There is space on offer for both sides, but the final pass hasn’t quite been right.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:40 , Matt Verri38 mins: Almost for Chelsea!
Dewsbury-Hall slides a pass through to Sancho and he’s in behind the defence.
Nkunku waiting for it to be played across the face of goal, but it’s turned behind for a corner before it gets to him.
Pinged to the back post, but the whistle has already gone for a foul.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:38 , Matt Verri36 mins: Mbeumo knocks the ball past James, who goes sliding in. Did he get the ball?
Referee says yes, corner given. James got the slightest touch on that.
Free header in the middle, as bodies fall to the ground everywhere. Sanchez at full stretch to push it away.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:36 , Matt Verri34 mins: “Attack, attack, attack, attack, attack.”
Chelsea fans making themselves heard. Madueke listens, working space for the shot and firing an effort straight at Flekken.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
14:34 , Matt VerriBingo cards at the ready, please.
Robert Sanchez has oodles of time to watch a sky ball land in his grasp. It does, and then he drops it.
It prompts laughter in the press box from some Chelsea journalists who have just seen that sort of error far too much this season.
Fortunately, it goes unpunished.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:33 , Matt Verri31 mins: Ball bounces up so slowly for Sanchez it’s almost not moving... and he still spills it. Mbeumo very nearly pounces.
Seconds later, Mbeumo is cutting onto his left foot and lashing a strike just wide. All came from a wonderful first touch out wide.
Brentford firmly on top now.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
14:30 , Matt VerriDamsgaard just missing the final touch, as he was with that direct free-kick moments ago.
Chelsea had asserted some control in this game but now Brentford appear to have their tails up.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:29 , Matt Verri27 mins: Damsgaard to take. Over the wall... over the bar.
Free-kick was maybe too close in the end.
Sanchez, again, gifts it straight back. Wissa flicks a pass through to Damsgaard, can’t get enough power on the strike as Sanchez flies off his line to smother.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:27 , Matt Verri25 mins: Yellow card for Gusto, with the referee spotting a pull-back off the ball.
Schade had got the wrong side of him and was making a run into the box, when he was dragged down.
Booking and a free-kick in a perfect position.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:25 , Matt Verri23 mins: Nkunku has to do better there.
Gusto slides a great pass into his path in the box, Nkunku should get it out of his body and get the shot away.
But the first touch is poor and the chance goes.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
14:23 , Matt VerriDefinitely part of the game plan to use Nkunku, but the striker is not quite holding the ball as effectively as Maresca - in his peach-coloured sweater - would like.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:22 , Matt Verri20 mins: Lewis-Potter with the ball in behind and Schade is away.
Drives into the box, lays it off to Wissa and his strike from the edge of the area is blocked.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:20 , Matt Verri18 mins: Feels like both teams could get themselves into troubling playing out from the back.
Makes it a fun watch if you’re neutral. Slightly more stressful if not, I would imagine...
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:17 , Matt Verri15 mins: Chaos in the Chelsea box from that corner.
All sorts of wrestling going on, Sanchez considers coming and then changes his mind. Ball bounces around... eventually hacked away.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:16 , Matt Verri14 mins: Chelsea hold their nerve and seem to have played their way through the press, but Norgaard gets back well to get a foot in and win the ball back.
Brentford win a free-kick out wide, Mbeumo to swing this in.
Really good ball in, Caicedo knocks it behind for a corner.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:13 , Matt Verri11 mins: Brentford are pressing pretty high up the pitch. Get the sense they are particularly keen when Sanchez has the ball.
Frank will be pretty satisfied with this start, you’d imagine.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:09 , Matt Verri7 mins: Spell of Chelsea possession, but not really going anywhere with it.
Madueke has had a couple of chances to run with it so far, but Lewis-Potter has done a decent job up against him.
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
14:05 , Matt VerriVery close to an opening goal from Brentford, as Yoane Wissa's stabbed volley on the stretch hits the post.
Fast start from the hosts. Chelsea need to wake up.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:05 , Matt Verri3 mins: Bright start from both.
Now Brentford play a dangerous ball across the face of goal, Chelsea don’t deal with it but Wissa can’t find the target.
Sanchez then gives it back immediately... he remains under pressure in a Chelsea shirt.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
14:03 , Matt Verri1 min: Nearly in the opening minute!
Chelsea win a free-kick out wide and it’s a stunning ball in from James.
Tosin throws himself at it, can’t quite make contact, and Nkunku is unable to direct his header at the back post.
KICK-OFF!
14:01 , Matt VerriWe’re up and running!
Here we go!
13:55 , Matt VerriTeams are in the tunnel!
Nearly time to find out whether this rotated Chelsea side can get the job done, or whether it will prove to be a decision Maresca regrets.
Not long now!
13:46 , Matt VerriWarm-ups will be coming to an end in the next couple of minutes.
Sun continues to shine over west London, conditions are absolutely perfect.
Fingers crossed the football matches it...
Maresca explains team selection
13:36 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca has explained why he has opted to leave Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson on the bench this afternoon.
“It's just the game plan,” he says.
“The ones that are going to start I think are going to be the right ones.”
Chelsea’s match against Brentford comes three days after their 1-0 win over Spurs and four days before they face Legia Warsaw in Poland in their Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg.
Asked whether their busy schedule partly explained the five changes: “Also for that, also because we have players back from injury.
“So two games in 48 to 72 hours is not the best thing to do after a long time [out] and we try to manage it a little bit.”
Dom Smith at the Gtech Community Stadium
13:22Will be fascinating to see whether Enzo Maresca's starting line-up gamble pays off here.
He's benched the likes of Palmer, Jackson and Colwill, with Nkunku and Madueke earning rare starts in the Premier League.
It speaks, of course, to fixture congestion at this time of the season, but to have made five changes is bold.
The Blues' head coach will come under some pretty intense scrutiny about some of these calls if it doesn't work out.
Frank: Chelsea under pressure
13:15 , Matt VerriThomas Frank keen to emphasise how important a game this is for Chelsea.
Maybe that’s why Enzo Maresca has made so many changes, just to contradict that.
“I think it’s fair to say they are under pressure,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference.
“I’m not trying to play any games here, but they need the Champions League spot, and they need to win against us.”
Chelsea injuries pose summer questions
13:04 , Matt VerriAt 24 and 21, respectively, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia have been earmarked as key parts of Chelsea’s long-term project, with their squad supposed to now be taking shape after several windows of major turnover.
Both, when fit, have been key players for Maresca this season, with Fofana their standout defender and Lavia every bit as impressive as Moises Caicedo in their outings as a midfield pair.
Fofana, though, has managed only two league starts after three months out with a hamstring injury before picking up a new issue which required surgery, while Lavia has seen his season heavily disrupted by various setbacks since mid-December.
Since signing for the Blues in the summer of 2023, the midfielder has played just 628 minutes of football, including just one appearance amid hamstring and knee trouble last season.
Fofana missed the entirety of the campaign with a torn ACL and has a serious leg break on his injury CV from his time at Leicester.
It is impossible to think those serious injuries are not playing some part in both players’ struggles now, and the question for Chelsea to answer is how likely they are to continue to do so.
It is not as if the Blues have not been cautious this season, leaving both players out of their European squad all term.
In the building!
12:58 , Matt VerriLots of rotation from Enzo Maresca.
Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson among those to drop to the bench, with this coming only a few days after the win over Tottenham.
Here with a job to do. 🫡#CFC | #BRECHE pic.twitter.com/gK9qx44w8q
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 6, 2025
Brentford team news
12:50Starting XI: Flekken, Ajer, van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Yarmoliuk, Damsgaard, Schade, Mbuemo, Wissa
Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Mee, Konak, Janelt, Maghoma, Kayode
Chelsea team news
12:46 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Chalobah, Gusto, Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall; Madueke, Fernandez, Sancho; Nkunku
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella, Palmer, Neto, George, Jackson
Maresca: Caicedo one of the best in the world
12:36 , Matt VerriChelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes Moises Caicedo showcased why he is in the conversation for best defensive midfielder in the world with “another great performance” in the win over Tottenham.
Caicedo started and played the full 90 minutes as the Blues claimed all three points - and bragging rights - against their London rivals for a second time this season.
In fact, it was the Ecuador international’s midfield partner, Enzo Fernandez who scored the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge when he headed home Cole Palmer’s cross early in the second half.
Caicedo thought he had doubled Chelsea’s lead soon after with a sweetly struck volley, but the goal was ruled out following a lengthy VAR check as Levi Colwill was deemed to have been in an offside position when the initial free-kick was taken.
"In this moment I think he is one of the best or the best defensive midfielders in the world. He is doing fantastic,” Maresca said.
"The best thing about Moi is that everyday he is working serious, he is very humble, very kind, he is polite, he is a fantastic guy and I feel today was another great performance.”
Fofana suffers fresh injury blow
12:25 , Matt VerriChelsea defender Wesley Fofana will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on a hamstring injury.
Fofana, 24, only returned to action in early March after more than three months out with a similar problem, but suffered a fresh setback this week and went under the knife on Saturday.
"The club can confirm that defender Wesley Fofana has today undergone successful hamstring surgery," a Chelsea statement said.
"Wesley was assessed by specialists this week after the 24-year-old suffered an injury of the muscle. Following that assessment, it was concluded that an operation would be required.
"The 24-year-old will now begin his recovery and undergo rehabilitation with the club's medical staff at Cobham over the coming weeks."
Stage is set!
12:14 , Matt VerriIt’s a glorious afternoon in west London!
Today’s place of work. 💼#CFC | #BRECHE pic.twitter.com/VXXrQss9tn
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 6, 2025
Standard Sport prediction
12:05 , Matt VerriHad this match been played a couple of months ago, many would have been backing Brentford to upset their London rivals.
But the Bees’ form at home has fallen off a cliff and Chelsea have been boosted by the return of the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, which they will hope helps bring Cole Palmer back to his best.
The Blues still have plenty to prove themselves and it is four months since they last won on the road in the Premier League, but that run could end here.
Brentford 1-2 Chelsea
Chelsea team news
11:54 , Matt VerriNoni Madueke is pushing to make his first start since February when Chelsea travel to Brentford.
Madueke made his comeback from a hamstring injury as a substitute in Thursday’s 1-0 win against Tottenham and could come into the team in place of Jadon Sancho.
Enzo Maresca must decide how to shuffle his pack as Chelsea face Brentford fewer than 72 hours after beating Spurs.
Maresca was boosted for the Spurs game by the return of Nicolas Jackson, who had been out for two months with a hamstring injury.
Elsewhere, Reece James could come back into the team having been left on the bench against Spurs despite his good form prior to and during the international break.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson
Brentford team news
11:48 , Matt VerriRico Henry has played just three minutes in the Premier League this season, but Thomas Frank confirmed the left-back could make the squad against Chelsea.
Mathias Jensen is set to be available for Brentford, but Josh Dasilva and Igor Thiago are out with knee injuries and Fabio Carvalho is unlikely to play again this season.
How to watch Brentford vs Chelsea
11:39 , Matt VerriTV channel: In the UK, the game is not due to be televised live.
Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights post-match, with Match of the Day 2 broadcasting on BBC One at 10:30pm.
Live blog: You can follow all the action right here, with expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.
Good afternoon!
11:32 , Matt VerriHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Brentford vs Chelsea!
Another London derby for Chelsea, just a few days after they got the better of Spurs at Stamford Bridge.
Victory here and they will further strengthen their hopes of securing Champions League football for next season.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 2pm BST from the Gtech Community Stadium.
