Chelsea news: The Blues have one big area to sort out ahead of their Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund
Kalidou Koulibaly is in line to return as Chelsea face Borussia Dortmund. (Image: Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea don’t go into their Champions League round of 16 first leg against Borussia Dortmund in good form. The preparation has been far from ideal and confidence within the fanbase is low.
Perhaps it’s the most Chelsea way of approaching a European night, though. Some of their past miracles have come in the face of adversity, when least expected. Beating an in-form, high octane Dortmund side in front of 80,000 fans might be up there with some of the great nights.
That outcome will feel a long way off though with just one win in 2023 so far – coming against hapless Bournemouth – whilst a run of three draws in a row have left many frustrated with Graham Potter. Although his young team is taking shape, it’s far from a well oiled Bundesliga machine.
There is clear Champions League quality in the squad though. Despite Kalidou Koulibaly’s wretched domestic form, the slower pace of European football may suit him and the Blues look to find an able deputy for Benoit Badiashile. Meanwhile Joao Felix has shown sparks of energy that very few have managed in a Chelsea shirt in recent years.
Mykhailo Mudryk’s form for Shakhtar Donetsk took him for a Brentford target to being valued alongside Antony and Jack Grealish whilst Kai Havertz’s best moment in a blue shirt came in the 2021 final. Enzo Fernandez also stood out in the group stage for Benfica against high quality opposition.
For this reason there is optimism that the moments of brilliance seen at time across the past three games could come together to form a cohesive performance. Here’s several ways that Potter could line-up in search of that.
Chelsea could easily field a team very similar to the one that drew to West Ham. The first half an hour was amongst some of the best football they have played this season and nine of the 11 that started in London are available in Germany.
Badiashile was left out of the 25-man squad due to only three new additions being allowed in, Mudryk, Fernandez and Felix pipped him to that. This means it is likely for Koulibaly to return whilst Noni Madueke is also unavailable. Hakim Ziyech could return in the forward area of a riskier pick of Carney Chukwuemeka too.
There is also a choice regarding Ben Chilwell’s fitness. He has been a substitute in the past two matches and may find a start a step too far but the worrying form of Marc Cucurella has left Potter with little choice. It would be a big ask for 18-year-old Lewis Hall to make his first Champions League appearance in this scenario.
Possible Chelsea XI: (4-2-3-1) Kepa; James, Silva, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Fernandez, Loftus-Cheek; Mudryk, Felix, Ziyech, Havertz.
Risk the return
Potter is now working with what appears to be his strongest selection of players to date. The injury issues have somewhat cleared and James, Chilwell and Wesley Fofana are all back in the mix. The latter is still yet to play since being forced off against AC Milan in October though.
Raheem Sterling is out with a knock as is Christian Pulisic but Denis Zakaria and Mateo Kovacic both come back into contention for this match. They are yet to appear in a game but may be called upon for their European experience. Although it would be a risk to start with them the two midfielders could offer extra solidity in midfield.
Meanwhile Fofana’s pace may well be preferable to Koulibaly in defence alongside Silva.
Possible Chelsea XI: (4-3-3) Kepa; James, Fofana, Silva, Chilwell; Zakaria, Fernandez, Kovacic; Mudryk, Felix, Ziyech.
Back to the three
Finally, a change of shape could be on the cards to deal with the Badiashile sized hole in defence. It would be a big call for Potter who has only used the back three sparingly since the World Cup but may well be necessary in this situation.
Trevoh Chalobah has been used as a makeshift right-back more than a centre-back but allows for tactical flexibility mid-game as well as on-ball and off-ball formation shifts. Hall is also capable of offering this from the left but it’s at wing-back that Chelsea may benefit most with James and Chilwell both back.
Havertz and Felix could be together once more whilst Mudryk offers the pace out wide.
Possible Chelsea XI: (3-4-3) Kepa; Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell; Mudryk, Felix, Havertz.
