Atalanta Takes On The Blues, Tottenham Hosts The Czech Side – A Night of European Football
All eyes shifts towards an important night of European football. A pair of intriguing fixtures take center stage in the schedule, with sides battling for important points as the group phase continues.
The Chelsea Conundrum
What version of Chelsea will show up in Bergamo? Their last European performance was a statement, a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Barcelona that stood as a high point in Enzo Maresca's tenure. Yet, form has been unpredictable since then. A credible draw with their London rivals came before a defeat away to Leeds United, and a dour draw on the south coast has left them with momentum drained.
Awaiting them is a tricky Atalanta that sits level on points alongside them. La Dea endured a heavy opening defeat in Paris yet have gone undefeated in Europe ever since, defying somewhat mid-table results in Serie A.
A Must-Win for Tottenham
Much like their rivals, Ange Postecoglou's side have been notoriously inconsistent. A 5-3 defeat in Paris, sandwiched between disappointing defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, piled scrutiny on manager Thomas Frank. But, recent domestic outings – four points from six – have offered a measure of calm.
Tonight, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in the competition. These are precisely the kind of fixture which Spurs need to be won if they are of climbing into the top eight, particularly given upcoming challenges versus Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt still to come.
The Evening's Other Games
The drama extends beyond those two matches. In a notable game, Barcelona will aim to respond after their loss when they host Eintracht Frankfurt. At the same time, free-scoring PSV pose a stern test to the backline of Diego Simeone's team. Rounding out the night, Monaco hosts Galatasaray in a match which promises to be a goal-fest. All matches begin this evening.
A pivotal night for the tournament standings awaits, with teams striving for a route into the latter stages.
