Chelsea will host Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) on March 8 with Graham Potter looking to redeem himself after heavy spending in the January transfer window. Chelsea were defeated 1-0 in the first leg by Dortmund.
Dortmund’s 21-year-old Karim Adeyemi went through Chelsea’s defence with his pace and trickery to find the back of the net, the only goal of the night. Chelsea tried hard, but to no use as Dortmund’s defence held together to keep their one-goal lead.
Since the appointment of Potter, Chelsea had expected big things and also invested heavily in the squad in the recently closed transfer window. However, the heavy spending has yet to reap results for Chelsea on the pitch. Chelsea managed to register their first victory since the turn of the year against Leeds United. They have played 12 matches so far in the calendar year and managed to win only two of them.
Out of the remaining 10 games, Chelsea have lost six and drawn four. On the other hand, Dortmund is undefeated so far in 2023 with 11 wins in 11 matches.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter addressed the pre-match press conference where he said that losing the tie could mean that the season will be over for him. “I agree it's a big game, an exciting game, a chance to go through to the last eight of the Champions League,” he said.
“It'll be a special night. Our thoughts are on being positive and trying to win the game. It's a good challenge for us, a big challenge for us. We're excited for it and looking forward to it,” the Chelsea boss said.
Potter further said that Chelsea will be looking forward to host Dortmund for the tie. He said, “The position we're in, you should always welcome the pressure because it means you're in a fantastic situation, which is to compete in the last eight of the Champions League. It was a special occasion in Dortmund and I'm sure it will be the same at Stamford Bridge tomorrow. We're looking forward to playing the game and competing to go through.”
Meanwhile, the game could be decided for Chelsea by big name players like Joao Felix, Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling with Dortmund boasting the likes of Jude Bellingham, Karim Adeyemi and Marco Reus, with one foot in the next round of the competition.
