Bergamo's Team Hosts The Blues, Tottenham Welcomes The Czech Side – An Evening of Champions League Action
All eyes is on a crucial night of European football. A pair of compelling encounters take center stage in the schedule, with sides battling for important points as the group phase continues.
Chelsea's Inconsistent Form
What version of Chelsea will we see in Bergamo? Their last European outing served as a declaration, a comprehensive 3-0 victory against the Catalan giants that stood as a high point in their manager's reign. However, form has proven unpredictable afterwards. A credible tie against Arsenal came before a loss at Leeds, and a dour draw on the south coast means they arrive with confidence drained.
Awaiting them is a tricky Atalanta that sits level on points alongside them. La Dea endured a 4-0 loss in their first game at PSG but have gone undefeated on the continent since, contrasting somewhat modest results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Much like their rivals, Ange Postecoglou's side can be notoriously inconsistent. A heavy loss in Paris, coming between painful losses to Arsenal and Fulham, had increased scrutiny on boss Thomas Frank. But, recent league results – four points available – have offered a measure of calm.
Tonight, they host a Slavia Prague side yet to win in this year's tournament. These are exactly the type of match that simply must secure three points from for any hopes of climbing into the top eight, especially with forthcoming games against Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt still to come.
Other Key Fixtures
The action extends beyond those two matches. In a key encounter, Barcelona will look to bounce back after their loss when they host the German side. At the same time, free-scoring PSV pose a stern test to the defence of Diego Simeone's team. Finally, Monaco hosts Galatasaray in a match which promises to be a high-scoring affair. Every game kick off at 8pm GMT.
A pivotal night for the tournament standings is upon us, as clubs striving to secure a route towards the knockout rounds.
