Chelsea will host Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, looking to finish the group stage with a flourish.
Chelsea are currently top of their group with ten points from five matches. They have already qualified for the knockouts, and this is an opportunity for them to send out a statement to their rivals with a thumping win at home.
Meanwhile, Dinamo Zagreb are at the bottom of the group with four points. They are two points adrift of third-placed Red Bull Salzburg and have a lot to play for. A win here for the visitors and a defeat for Red Bull Salzburg will send the visitors into the UEFA Europa League. And they will be desperate to continue their European adventure for the season.
Chelsea are coming into this game on the back of a humiliating defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion. And they will be looking to bounce back with a strong performance. The players will be expected to produce a reaction in front of their own fans at Stamford Bridge.
On the other hand, Dinamo Zagreb have lost their last two games in all competitions and will have to improve considerably in order to get something out of this contest. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Reece James and Wesley Fofana will continue their rehabilitation programmes this week in Dubai.
A member of the Chelsea medical department will accompany them. pic.twitter.com/caqSEaUGJE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 31, 2022
Graham Potter has a number of injury issues to deal with, heading into this game. Wesley Fofana, Reece James and N’Golo Kante are long-term injury concerns, and Kalidou Koulibaly is also expected to miss the game with a knock. Fofana and James have flown to Dubai for a rehabilitation program.
The Blues are likely to start in their preferred 3-4-2-1 setup, with Edouard Mendy in goal. The Senegalese goalkeeper has not had too many opportunities this season and he will be looking to impress.
In the back-three, Trevoh Chalobah is likely to start on the right, with Thiago Silva playing the sweeper role. Marc Cucurella should start on the left-hand side, hoping to produce a much-improved performance this week.
Cesar Azpilicueta and Ben Chilwell will likely start as the wing-backs, and they will be expected to protect Cucurella and Chalobah at the back. They will also look to add some width to the side going forward.
Jorginho should partner Ruben Loftus-Cheek at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield. Kai Havertz and Mason Mount will start as the attacking midfielders, and they will look to make their mark after a sub-par start to the season.
Armando Broja might spearhead the Chelsea attack against Dinamo Zagreb. So Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling will drop to the bench. The duo has been sub-par lately and will need to step up to remain regulars for Chelsea.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Chilwell; Havertz, Mount; Broja
Dinamo Zagreb
Bosko Sutalo is the only injury worry for the visitors here. Otherwise, Dinamo Zagreb manager Ante Cacic will have a fully-fit squad at his disposal.
The visitors will line up in their 3-5-2 formation, with Dominik Livakovic being the goalkeeper. In the back-three, Stefan Ristovski will partner Josip Sutalo and Dino Peric. Dario Spikic and Robert Ljubicic will start as the wing-backs, and Dinamo will look to form a back five while defending.
The wing-back duo will also look to join in on the counter-attack from time to time. Luka Ivanusec, Josip Misic and Arijan Ademi will start as the central midfielders, and they will be tasked with keeping Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek quiet. Finally, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic will lead the line in a front two.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Livakovic; Ristovski, Sutalo, Peric; Spikic, Ivanusec, Misic, Ademi, Ljubicic; Petkovic, Orsic
Key Stats
- Chelsea’s only previous meeting with a Croatian side was against Dinamo Zagreb earlier in this season’s UEFA Champions League group stage, with the Blues losing 0-1 away from home.
- Chelsea have been winning at both half-time and full-time in their last three matches in the UEFA Champions League.
- Chelsea have scored at least two goals in their last three Champions League matches.
- Dinamo Zagreb’s last away win in the UEFA Champions League dates back to November 1998, when they won 1-0 at Ajax. Since then, the Croatian giants have played 20 away games in the competition without winning, with 17 of those ending in defeat (D3).
- Chelsea’s eight goals in the UEFA Champions League this term have been scored by seven different players, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the only one of those to net more than once (2). Only Napoli (11), Inter Milan and Bayern Munich (both eight) have had more different scorers than the Blues in the competition this term.
Player to Watch
Armando Broja
In the gym with Armando! 🏋️♂️ pic.twitter.com/MdCWahgaFh
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 31, 2022
The youngster has had just one start across all competitions this season, and he will be hungry to prove his worth. Broja has showcased his quality in the past, and Dinamo Zagreb could struggle against his movement and physicality. The Albanian international is our man to watch this week.
Prediction
Chelsea 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
Chelsea will be hurt after the embarrassing defeat to Brighton at the weekend. They will look to salvage some pride here, and Dinamo Zagreb could be in for a torrid evening. The gulf in quality between the two sides is immense, and Chelsea should be able to pick up a comfortable win at home. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 victory for Graham Potter and his charges.
