“It will be a special night”- Graham Potter sends message ahead of Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund clash
Chelsea manager Graham Potter expressed his excitement about the upcoming match against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the last-16 Champions League fixture at Stamford Bridge, during his interaction with the media.
Having lost the first leg in Germany by a goal, Chelsea now needs to score at least one goal to stay in the game and force it into extra-time.
Despite an imperfect performance, the Blues managed to restore some confidence with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday. A win like this would serve to boost the morale of the team before such an important match.
Potter sounded excited about it. Here’s what he said (h/t Football.London):
“It’s a big game, an exciting game, a chance to go through to the last eight of the Champions League. It will be a special night at Stamford Bridge, so we’re really looking forward to that. All our thoughts are on being positive, winning the game, and going through. In terms of what we learned from the previous game [against Dortmund] they are a top opponent.
“You can see from their results in the Bundesliga, they are in a fantastic vein of form, winning games constantly. That tells you as a team they are doing a lot well. Attack and defend, good individuals, well coached. So it’s a big challenge for us but we’re excited for it.”
Defeating a Dortmund team that has won their previous 10 matches in all competitions will be a difficult task. They currently share the top spot in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, their only difference being their goal differential.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that Chelsea had opportunities to score during their match against Dortmund and could have returned to London with a draw at the very least. Nevertheless, Chelsea’s struggle to score goals remains a significant issue.
In the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is not included in the Champions League squad, the question arises as to who will step up and score the crucial goals required to progress to the next round. It remains to be seen if Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, and Kai Havertz will be able to fulfill this role, given that there are few other options available.
As this is a knockout game, current form may not necessarily be a determining factor in the outcome. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge will undoubtedly be charged for this important European fixture. Ultimately, it will be up to the players and the manager to deliver their best performance and secure a victory in 2023.
The second leg match could potentially extend late into the night due to the possibility of extra-time and/or penalties. As such, it is anticipated that the game will be closely contested, with little room for mistakes or errors.
“It will be a special night”- Graham Potter sends message ahead of Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund clash
