Atalanta Faces Chelsea, Spurs Welcomes The Czech Side – An Evening of Champions League Action
All eyes turns to a pivotal night of European football. A pair of intriguing matches headline the schedule, with sides competing for vital standings as the group phase continues.
Chelsea's Inconsistent Form
Which iteration of Chelsea will appear in Bergamo? Their last European performance served as a declaration, an emphatic 3-0 victory over Barcelona which was a peak in Enzo Maresca's tenure. However, results has been elusive since then. A solid draw with their London rivals was followed by a defeat at Leeds, and a dour draw at Bournemouth has left them with confidence drained.
Awaiting them is a tricky Atalanta who are tied in the standings with them. La Dea suffered a heavy loss in their first game at PSG yet have gone undefeated on the continent ever since, defying their modest results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Much like their rivals, Tottenham have been notoriously unreliable. A 5-3 defeat in Paris, sandwiched between disappointing defeats in the Premier League, piled pressure on boss Thomas Frank. However, the last two domestic outings – four points from six – have provided a measure of calm.
This evening, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in the competition. This is precisely the kind of match that simply must be won if they are to climb into the top eight, particularly given forthcoming challenges against Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt on the horizon.
Other Key Fixtures
The action extends beyond those two matches. One notable game, Barcelona will aim to bounce back from their defeat as they welcome the German side. At the same time, high-flying PSV Eindhoven will provide a major challenge to the backline of Diego Simeone's team. Finally, Monaco hosts Galatasaray in a match which promises to be a goal-fest. All matches begin at 8pm GMT.
A pivotal night in the group stage awaits, with teams fighting for a route into the latter stages.
