Chelsea Fans Reportedly Ambushed in Kiev Ahead of Champions League Fixture

Chelsea fans have reportedly been attacked by "balaclava-clad thugs" ahead of their Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday, with one supporter said to have needed hospital treatment after the ambush.

David Kent of the Mail Online reported 30 Blues fans were confronted in the Ukrainian capital city, after leaving the Shato Brewery bar just off Independence Square.

Several Chelsea fans were left "bruised and bloodied," according to Kent, as the hooligans jumped them in the confrontation. The travelling group for the west London club included women and the elderly, with fans being knocked to the ground with "kicks and punches," according to the report.

A Blues supporter explained the detail of the attack, per Kent: "It was orchestrated. Five guys turned up at the pub and sussed us out. One was texting at the bar and they were obviously lying in wait to have a dig."

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According to Kent, Chelsea are expected to have more than 1,000 fans in Kiev for the vital Champions League group game, with many arriving on Monday to support the Premier League champions.

The Blues sit in third spot in Group G, and a win for Kiev would give them a four-point advantage over manager Jose Mourinho's team as they enter the second half of the knockout qualification process.

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Mourinho said his team needs to find a way of winning games once again after losing the habit since the start of the season, as cited by BBC Sport: "We need to win matches in the Premier League to improve our position and we need to win points in the Champions League to qualify. We know how football is. We have had too many bad results and hopefully now we can move in the right direction."

A loss in Kiev will further weaken the Special One's position at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea making little impact at home or abroad this term.

However, if the team can navigate a tricky tie in the Ukraine, and come out as winners, the Blues' show might suddenly be back on the road in the weeks ahead.