Atalanta Hosts Chelsea, Tottenham Hosts Slavia Prague – An Evening of Champions League Action
The focus turns to an important evening in the Champions League. A pair of fascinating matches headline the lineup, with sides fighting for vital standings in the group stage.
A Question Mark Over Chelsea
What version of Chelsea will appear on Italian soil? Their last Champions League outing was a statement, an emphatic three-goal win over the Catalan giants that stood as a peak for their manager's tenure. Yet, results has been unpredictable afterwards. A solid tie with Arsenal was followed by a loss at Leeds, and a lackluster draw on the south coast has left them with momentum drained.
Awaiting them is a dangerous opponent who are level on points with them. The Italian side suffered a 4-0 loss in their first game in Paris but have remained unbeaten on the continent since, contrasting somewhat mid-table results in Serie A.
A Must-Win for Tottenham
Much like their rivals, Tottenham can be famously inconsistent. A heavy loss in Paris, sandwiched between painful defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, piled scrutiny on boss Thomas Frank. But, recent domestic outings – a win and a draw from six – have provided a measure of calm.
This evening, they host a Slavia Prague side yet to win in this year's tournament. This is precisely the kind of fixture that simply must be won if they are of climbing towards the knockout places, especially with forthcoming challenges versus Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt on the horizon.
Elsewhere Across Europe
The action extends beyond those two matches. One key encounter, Barcelona will look to respond from their defeat as they welcome the German side. Meanwhile, high-flying PSV pose a stern test for the backline of Atlético Madrid. Finally, AS Monaco entertains the Turkish champions in a match which promises of a potential high-scoring affair. Every game kick off this evening.
A pivotal night in the group stage is upon us, with teams fighting to secure their path into the latter stages.
