Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund - Preview
Preview - Chelsea have it all to do if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Borussia Dortmund
Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund - Watch Now
Chelsea entertains Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund with a place in the final eight of the Champions League on the line. Dortmund has a slender advantage thanks to a rapid breakaway goal from Karim Adeyemi. As ever, you can follow the action exclusively with beIN SPORTS.
It's safe to say that the pressure is still on Chelsea boss Graham Potter despite a 1-0 win against Leeds on the weekend, to snap a six-game winless streak. Now Potter is looking to turn the tide on Dortmund to buy yet more time in the dugout.
The former Brighton coach would have certainly seen positives from the matchup in Germany three weeks ago, and the result could have been completely different had goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, and the woodwork not saved Dortmund on the night. Crucially with a slender deficit to turnaround, the English coach will be hoping that a rousing atmosphere at Stamford Bridge can be the difference.
Whilst a defeat could be critical to the short-term prospects of Graham Potter it's fair to say that Chelsea has not had it all their own way in the Champions League in recent years. The Blues have suffered four straight round of 16 exits between 2014-15 and 2019-20 before lifting the trophy during the 2020-21 campaign.
In team news, Chelsea has somewhat of an injury crisis with Armando Broja, Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva all ruled out through injury. Mason Mount will be unavailable through suspension after picking up one too many yellow cards. Despite the doom and gloom, Chelsea could potentially welcome back the trip of Christian Pulisic, N'Golo Kante and Reece James into the fold for this one.
Chelsea Predicted Team
Kepa; Chalobah, Koulibaly, Fofana; James, Kovacic, Fernandez, Chilwell; Sterling, Havertz, Felix
How to watch Online – beIN SPORTS
Channel - beIN SPORTS 1 EN
On Air – 22:00
Kick-Off – 23:00
Stadium – Stamford Bridge
As for Dortmund, they have been on red-hot form since the World Cup winning all ten games they have been involved in across all competitions. Last Friday, an impressive 2-1 win over title rivals RB Leipzig had BVB move to the top of the standings only to be overhauled by Bayern Munich later in the weekend.
Coach Edin Terzic seems to be crafting a side that can credibly challenge for the Bundesliga title, whilst mixing exciting youth players such as Jude Bellingham and Karim Adeyemi alongside more seasoned heads such as Marco Reus and Emre Can.
During this hot streak, Dortmund has registered five consecutive away wins, and that experienced core could be vital in getting the job done and reaching a first Champions League quarter-final since the 2016-17 season. Although on the other hand, the German side is that London has not been a happy hunting ground in recent seasons. Dortmund has lost the last five European encounters in London since beating Arsenal 2-1 in 2013.
In team news matchwinner in the first leg, Karim Adeyemi is out with a thigh injury whilst first-choice keeper Gregor Kobel is a major doubt after missing out at the weekend against RB Leipzig. This could mean that Alexander Meyer should still deputise in goal with Sebastien Haller poised to lead the line in West London.
Borussia Dortmund Predicted team
Meyer; Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro ; Ozcan, Can, Bellingham; Brandt, Haller, Reus
It promises to be a fascinating encounter as Graham Potter and Chelsea look to overturn the odds against Borussia Dortmund. As ever, follow all the action on beIN SPORTS.