Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea FC LIVE! Champions League match ...
A fascinating Champions League last-16 tie kicks off tonight as an in-form Dortmund side host Graham Potter’s gradually improving Chelsea for the first leg of their encounter. Twice winners of the competition, Blues fans will know not to count out their chances despite a rough ride domestically.
Signs of life are emering out of west London, albeit so far in the form of three consecutive draws as Potter looks to steady a Chelsea ship strengthened but also rocked by a hectic January spending spree. In their way are Jude Bellingham and Borussia, bidding for an eighth win in a row.
The Germans have got past this stage in only one of their last five Champions League campaigns while Chelsea confidently downed Atletico Madrid and Lille in their past two last-16 ties. Follow Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea live via Standard Sport’s match blog, featuring expert analysis from Nizaar Kinsella at Signal Iduna Park!
No Youssoufa Moukouko as expcted in the Borussia XI as Sebastian Haller makes the line-up.
Julian Ryerson is dropped for Marius Wolf at right-back after he sat out the weekend win over Werder Bremen.
Gio Reyna loses out to Karim Adeyemi in attack with Marcos Reus dropped for Salih Ozcan.
The unregistered duo of Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke drop out for the Blues along with Marc Cucurella.
In come Ben Chilwell at left-back plus the fit-again Kalidou Koulibaly and, on the wing, Hakim Ziyech.
Wesley Fofana, Mateo Kovacic and Denis Zakaria on the bench.
Chelsea have naturally replaced Noni Madueke with Hakim Ziyech for the Champions League away clash with Dortmund.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek continues after a decent display at West Ham. Kalidou Koulibaly is drafted in for in-form Benoit Badiashile who is not in the squad.
Borussia Dortmund XI: Kobel; Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Can, Ozcan; Adeyemi, Haller, Brandt.
Subs: Meyer, Reyna, Dahoud, Reus, Hummels, Modeste, Malen, Meunier, Ryerson, Rothe, Bynoe-Gittens, Coulibaly.
Chelsea XI: Kepa; James, Silva, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez; Ziyech, Felix, Mudryk; Havertz.
Subs: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, W. Fofana, Cucurella, Hall, Chukwuemeka, Kovacic, Gallagher, Zakaria, Mount.
A proper football ground.
A crowd of 81,000 plus expected tonight with the fearsome Yellow Wall belting out their backing of Borussia.
Actually, there has been one friendly meeting between these two. Not sure how much impact it will have on tonight’s scoreline, though!
Actually, there isn’t one... Never before have these teams met in competitive action.
Early indications suggesting Ben Chilwell will beat Marc Cucurella to start at left-back for Chelsea with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech also in.
We’re expecting the confirmed line-ups anytime from now up to the hour!
