Atalanta Takes On The Blues, Tottenham Welcomes Slavia Prague – An Evening of European Football
The focus turns to an important evening in the Champions League. Two fascinating encounters take center stage in the schedule, with sides fighting for vital points as the group phase continues.
Chelsea's Inconsistent Form
Which iteration of Chelsea will we see in Bergamo? Their last European performance was a statement, an emphatic three-goal win against the Catalan giants which was a peak in Enzo Maresca's tenure. Yet, results has been elusive afterwards. A credible tie against Arsenal came before a defeat away to Leeds United, and a lackluster stalemate at Bournemouth has left them with confidence drained.
Awaiting them is a dangerous Atalanta that sits tied in the standings with them. The Italian side suffered a heavy opening defeat in Paris but have gone undefeated on the continent since, contrasting their mid-table results in Serie A.
Tottenham's Test
Similar to their rivals, Tottenham have been famously inconsistent. A heavy loss away to PSG, coming between disappointing losses in the Premier League, had increased scrutiny on manager Thomas Frank. However, the last two league results – four points from six – have offered a measure of calm.
Tonight, they host a Slavia Prague side yet to win in the competition. These are exactly the type of match that simply must secure three points from for any hopes to climb towards the knockout places, particularly given forthcoming challenges against Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt still to come.
The Evening's Other Games
The action is not limited to those two matches. One key encounter, the Blaugrana will look to respond from their defeat when they host the German side. At the same time, free-scoring PSV Eindhoven will provide a major challenge for the defence of Atlético Madrid. Finally, Monaco hosts the Turkish champions in a match that has all the makings to be a high-scoring affair. Every game begin at 8pm GMT.
A pivotal night for the tournament standings is upon us, as clubs striving for their path towards the knockout rounds.
