Chelsea Confirm The Signing Of Joao Felix On A Half Season Long Loan
Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic has a distinct advantage ahead of the Champions League round of 16 first leg clash against Chelsea on Wednesday. Not only are the German side in excellent form, contrasting to Graham Potter's recent struggles, they have a weapon that Chelsea simply don't.
It is on European nights that the Signal Iduna Park comes alive. The yellow wall offering one of the great stands in modern football and creating an atmosphere that some Chelsea players are untested against. Of the 23-man squad taken to Dortmund, 12 are yet to play five Champions League games for the club.
That is the beauty of two-legged ties and the removal of the away goal rule perhaps Chelsea here, especially with the stunted home atmosphere in recent months too. Dortmund's 80,000 capacity is near double the 44,000 at SW6 and will almost certainly hand Terzic's men a big advantage on Wednesday.
Chelsea have a trick up their own sleeve, though. Despite taking coaching badges alongside each other in England, Potter is still a relative unknown to many on this stage. He has just five matches under his belt - all group stage games from this season - and is unbeaten with four wins in that time.
Terzic is not much more experienced having only managed 29 games at Dortmund since taking over in the summer. He's managed 10 Champions League games in his career, winning three. It is the unpredictability of Potter that may well counterbalance any home advantage.
Speaking ahead of the game, Terzic praised Potter, saying, "He's an impressive person and a fantastic coach. We are in regular contact and are delighted that we'll see each other again." When it comes to knowing what his Dortmund team will be up against though, that is less straightforward.
"It's not easy to analyse everything," he said. "That's why you don't know exactly what line-up they'll field here. We will prepare for everything." He is also unsure as to the role that Joao Felix will play and has admitted to being thrown by his recent red card. The Portugal attacker has a small sample size to digest for opposition, making it tough to anticipate.
Nevertheless, Terzic is aiming to take the game back to London with plenty at stake. He's expecting "a cracking game" and added that "We're certain that it won't be decided tomorrow, but that there'll be two close games."
It is now down to Chelsea to make the most of Felix and his instant impact on the team. The 23-year-old will likely be central to most of the team's attacking play and that is where the Blues will be hoping to cause some damage.
0 Comments