Atalanta Takes On The Blues, Tottenham Welcomes Slavia Prague – A Night of Champions League Football
All eyes is on an important round of continental clashes. A pair of compelling fixtures take center stage in the schedule, with sides competing for crucial standings in the group stage.
Chelsea's Inconsistent Form
What version of the London club will show up in Bergamo? Their last Champions League performance was a statement, a comprehensive three-goal win over Barcelona which was a peak for Enzo Maresca's reign. However, form has proven unpredictable afterwards. A solid draw with their London rivals came before a defeat at Leeds, and a lackluster stalemate at Bournemouth has left them with confidence drained.
Awaiting them is a tricky opponent who are tied in the standings alongside them. The Italian side suffered a heavy loss in their first game in Paris yet have remained unbeaten on the continent ever since, defying somewhat mid-table results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Similar to their rivals, Tottenham have been famously inconsistent. A heavy loss in Paris, coming between disappointing losses to Arsenal and Fulham, piled pressure on manager the Danish coach. But, the last two domestic outings – a win and a draw from six – have provided some stability.
This evening, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in this year's tournament. These are precisely the kind of match which Spurs need to secure three points from for any hopes to climb towards the knockout places, particularly given forthcoming games against Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt still to come.
Other Key Fixtures
The action extends beyond England and Italy. One key encounter, Barcelona will aim to bounce back after their loss when they host the German side. Meanwhile, high-flying PSV will provide a major challenge to the defence of Atlético Madrid. Finally, AS Monaco entertains the Turkish champions in an encounter that has all the makings to be a goal-fest. All matches begin at 8pm GMT.
A pivotal evening in the group stage awaits, with teams fighting to secure a route into the latter stages.
