Borussia Dortmund v Chelsea predictions

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, Wednesday 8pm

Best bet

Dortmund
1pt 29-20 general

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Team news

Dortmund
Youssoufa Moukoko, Marius Wolf, Abdoulaye Kamara and Mateu Morey are out but Thomas Meunier and Karim Adeyemi are back from injury and suspension.

Chelsea
N'Golo Kante, Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja and Eduoard Mendy remain out while Wesley Fofana, Mateo Kovacic, Denis Zakaria, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly are all doubts.

Match preview

Having been beaten by Manchester City in the EFL and FA Cups and sitting ten points off the Premier League top four, Chelsea may see a run in the Champions League as their only chance of salvaging something from what has been a disappointing season.

Graham Potter’s side have landed a tough opening round-of-16 fixture, visiting the famous Yellow Wall of Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, which will be at its full 81,000 capacity for the first time in a knockout European game after a Uefa rule change this season.

Their task will not be helped by the fact that BVB have been in scintillating form in 2023, winning all six of their games since the World Cup and scoring 17 goals in the process.

The Blues can only dream of a form guide like that, winning two of their last 12 matches in all competitions after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham.

Chelsea spent heavily in January and have had to leave some of their new signings out of their Champions League squad for the knockout stages, with only three additions allowed.

Potter was known for his tactical flexibility at Brighton, but there is a concern that he doesn’t know the best formation or combination of players with his new squad, as evidenced by the fact that they have lined up in four different formations in their last five matches.

To add to the disparity in form between these two sides, Dortmund have been rock-solid at home this season while the Blues have struggled on the road.

The hosts have lost just one of their 12 games on home soil this season including draws with Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

By contrast, Chelsea have only won five of their 17 away games in all competitions and have lost eight of those.

All in all, Dortmund look a more solid proposition to take a first-leg advantage with a victory in front of their frenzied supporters.

Key stat

Dortmund have won their last six matches, the same amount Chelsea have won in the last four months

Probable teams

Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Can; Adeyemi, Reus, Brandt; Haller
Subs: Meunier, Meyer, Malen, Modeste, Dahoud, Bynoe-Gittens, Reyna, Ozcan, Rothe

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Arrizabalaga; James, Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Chilwell; Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez; Mount, Felix, Mudryk; Havertz
Subs: Gallagher, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Bettinelli, Azpilicueta, Ziyech, Hall, Chukweumeka, Zakaria

Inside info

Dortmund

Penalty taker Sebastien Haller/Emre Can
Assist ace Raphael Guerreiro
Set-piece aerial threat Sebastien Haller
Card magnet Jude Bellingham