Graham Potter will be in charge of his first knockout game in Europe's premier championship as Chelsea takes on Borussia Dortmund. The only loss came in his debut game in charge when the west London team was held by RB Salzburg. The Blues manager has gone undefeated in the tournament during his time at Chelsea, with victories over Dinamo Zagreb, RB Salzburg, and AC Milan.
Potter's team departs for Germany on Tuesday in search of a victory to gain some momentum after their last three games ended in draws. As several players return from injuries and while he is without players like Benoit Badiashile Noni Madueke, Potter will have a number of selections to make. and
David Datro Fofana.
One new signing who is available however is Enzo Fernandez and the record-signing has quickly made himself vital to Chelsea's side. The World Cup-winner produced a pristine assist for Joao Felix against West Ham to back up his impressive debut against Fulham at Stamford Bridge to begin repaying his £106.7million fee.
That figure, his selection in the Champions League squad and the quality exhibited so far has already placed him as Chelsea's central midfield figure. Who will start alongside him against the Bundesliga side remains to be seen however.
Already Fernandez has seen different partners in his time at the club. First he combined with Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher, before more recently working alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek. With Denis Zakaria and Mateo Kovacic on their way back from injury too, competition will be rife to feature in the centre of the pitch.
This is a competition that goes beyond simply facing Dortmund however. Fernandez is a signing to take Chelsea forward but at the moment Chelsea's squad is bloated and is due to undergo more transformation in the summer.
That is particularly pertinent for Chelsea's midfield. Denis Zakaria is due to see his loan end in the summer, though Chelsea have an option to make the deal permanent, while the likes of Mount, Loftus-Cheek and Kovacic all have contracts that will end in 2024 and thus the summer offers the last genuine chance for the Blues to earn a fee if a contract extension is no agreed. Even Conor Gallagher has been much linked to a departure from Stamford Bridge.
The clash against Dortmund provides another opportunity to assess a partner for Fernandez and against Europe's elite. Jude Bellingham has been closely linked to Liverpool and Real Madrid and has long been of interest for the Blues, though their struggle for Champions League football next season could dampen any attempt.
Battling against top-quality opposition will be the perfect chance for Potter's candidates to impress for the next game and the future.
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