Atalanta Faces The Blues, Spurs Hosts Slavia Prague – An Evening of European Action
The focus shifts towards a crucial night of European football. A pair of compelling matches take center stage in the lineup, as sides battling for important standings in the group stage.
Chelsea's Inconsistent Form
Which iteration of the London club will appear in Bergamo? Their last Champions League performance was a statement, an emphatic 3-0 victory over Barcelona that stood as a high point in their manager's reign. However, results has proven elusive since then. A solid tie against their London rivals came before a loss at Leeds, followed by a lackluster draw at Bournemouth means they arrive with momentum sapped.
They face a tricky Atalanta that sits tied in the standings with them. La Dea suffered a 4-0 opening defeat at PSG but have gone undefeated in Europe since, defying somewhat mid-table results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Similar to their rivals, Ange Postecoglou's side have been notoriously inconsistent. A 5-3 defeat in Paris, sandwiched between painful defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, had increased pressure on boss Thomas Frank. But, recent domestic outings – four points available – have provided a measure of calm.
Tonight, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in this year's tournament. These are exactly the type of fixture which Spurs need to secure three points from if they are to climb into the top eight, especially with upcoming challenges versus Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt still to come.
Elsewhere Across Europe
The action extends beyond England and Italy. One key encounter, Barcelona will aim to respond from their defeat when they host the German side. At the same time, high-flying PSV pose a major challenge for the backline of Atlético Madrid. Finally, AS Monaco entertains the Turkish champions in an encounter which promises to be a high-scoring affair. All matches begin this evening.
A crucial evening in the group stage is upon us, as clubs fighting for a route into the latter stages.
