Chelsea FC vs Genk: Start Time, Schedule and Live Streaming

Chelsea will resume their quest for success in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League when Genk, the reigning victor of the Belgian Pro League, comes to Stamford Bridge for a showdown in Group E on Wednesday. This will be the first meeting between these two clubs and the maiden voyage for Genk into the realm of English football.

The Blues have faced Belgian sides on three occasions in European play, winning on aggregate each time.

Chelsea hold a precarious edge atop Group E with four points in two matches. Genk will look to surprise their heavily-favored opponents and jump back into the conversation for a berth into the knockout stage.

Where: Stamford Bridge, London, England

When: Wednesday, October 19th at 2:45 p.m. EDT

Watch: DirecTV Soccer, ESPN2 Australia, Fox Soccer Plus, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD2, Sportsnet World, SuperSport 5

Live Streaming: FoxSoccer.tv, Sport.TV3

Betting Line: Chelsea -909, Genk +1600, Draw +700 (according to sportsbook.com)

Key Injuries

Chelsea: Michael Essien, Henrique Hilario

Genk: Nadson, Jelle Vossen, Jeroen Simaeys

Biggest Storyline: Can Andre Villas-Boas Relive His Past Success Against Genk?

The first-year Chelsea boss was in charge of Porto last season when they beat Genk 7-2 on aggregate in the playoff round of the UEFA Europa League. Jelle Vossen was the only Genk player to find the net against the Portistas, and he figures to be a thorn in AVB's side once again.

Then again, the Blues have more than enough talent up and down their roster, including Belgian starlet Romelu Lukaku, to give Villas-Boas yet another convincing victory over a banged-up Genk side to add to his burgeoning managerial resume. 

Player to Watch for Chelsea: Fernando Torres

Win or lose, good or bad, Fernando Torres will always be the central figure in any story involving Chelsea. The Spanish striker has been a bust, more or less, since a record £50-million transfer from Liverpool in January.

El Nino has performed much better since the arrival of fellow Spaniard and former Villareal midfielder Juan Mata, though Torres' performance thus far has still left much to be desired. A goal (or two) against Genk would go a long way toward getting the one-time talisman back on the right track.

Player to Watch for Genk: David Hubert

As mentioned previously, Genk will enter their match against Chelsea without some of their most prominent stars, including Jelle Vossen and Nadson. The task will fall to skipper David Hubert to keep his club together in a difficult environment against a far superior opponent.

At 23, Hubert is among the youngest club captains in Europe and will have his mettle as a leader put to the test by the Blues.

What They're Saying

UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules have put Chelsea in a tight spot. Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has spent far more on player wages of late than what his club has brought in, leading European football's governing body to step in and force Blues management to clean up their act.

In an attempt to close the gap and account for Chelsea's small grounds, the club have raised ticket prices significantly, which, according to The Independent, may result in fans boycotting Wednesday's match against Genk. Club chairman Bruce Buck downplayed concerns that the stands at Stamford Bridge could be eerily empty, particularly for a Champions League match:

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"We're always looking at ticket prices, and it's a balance between what the fans would like, which is basically free seats, and the realism of running a business that is trying to break even. We're comfortable that [the stadium for the game against] Genk is going to be full."  

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That shouldn't impact Chelsea's ability to send Genk racing back to Belgium, but it would come as something of an embarrassment to one of the world's most famous football clubs, nonetheless.

Prediction: Chelsea 3, Genk 0