Bergamo's Team Takes On The Blues, Tottenham Hosts The Czech Side – A Night of Champions League Football
All eyes turns to a crucial evening in the Champions League. A pair of intriguing encounters headline the lineup, as sides battling for vital points in the group stage.
The Chelsea Conundrum
What version of Chelsea will we see in Bergamo? Their previous Champions League performance was a statement, an emphatic three-goal win over Barcelona that stood as a peak for their manager's tenure. However, results has proven unpredictable since then. A credible tie against Arsenal came before a loss at Leeds, and a dour stalemate at Bournemouth has left them with confidence drained.
They face a dangerous Atalanta that sits level on points with them. La Dea suffered a 4-0 opening defeat at PSG yet have gone undefeated in Europe ever since, defying somewhat mid-table results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Similar to their London counterparts, Tottenham can be famously unreliable. A 5-3 defeat away to PSG, coming between disappointing defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, piled scrutiny on boss Thomas Frank. But, recent domestic outings – a win and a draw from six – have provided some stability.
Tonight, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in the competition. This is exactly the type of fixture which Spurs need to secure three points from if they are of climbing into the top eight, particularly given forthcoming games against Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt on the horizon.
The Evening's Other Games
The drama extends beyond those two matches. One key encounter, Barcelona will aim to bounce back from their defeat when they host Eintracht Frankfurt. Meanwhile, high-flying PSV Eindhoven pose a stern test for the backline of Diego Simeone's team. Finally, Monaco entertains Galatasaray in an encounter which promises of a potential high-scoring affair. Every game kick off this evening.
A crucial night for the tournament standings is upon us, with teams fighting for a route towards the knockout rounds.
