UEFA Champions League: How Chelsea Could Line Up Against Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea travels to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night to take on high-flying and in-form  Dortmund team.

The Blues have won just one of their nine post-World Cup matches despite heavy investment during the January transfer window. It’s a run that has left Chelsea ninth in the Premier League table and quickly trying to appease an angering fanbase.

They face a tough task against a Dortmund side in hot pursuit of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga title race and with six wins under their belt since the World Cup.

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Chelsea will have to cope without defender Benoit Badiashile for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie away against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old has recently formed a strong partnership at the back with Thiago Silva, but he is ineligible to play in this season’s Champions League along with former Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos as they have all been left out of Graham Potter’s squad for the knockout rounds.

The Blues will also have to manage without N’Golo Kante (hamstring), Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja (both knee) and Edouard Mendy (finger) as they continue to recover from injury.

In addition, Chelsea will assess five doubtful players before they jet off to Germany, including Mateo Kovacic and Wesley Fofana who have been spotted in team training after spells out with respective calf and knee problems.

Denis Zakaria has stepped up his recovery from a thigh issue, while Raheem Sterling (knee) and Kalidou Koulibaly (illness) were not involved in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at West Ham United on Saturday, but they could be in a position to return on Wednesday.

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It remains to be seen whether Potter will decide to stick with a back four or revert to a three-at-the-back system in the absence of Badiashile; Koulibaly – if fit – is seemingly the most likely candidate to partner Thiago Silva at centre-back, but a back three could also involve either Trevor Chalobah, Cesar Azpilicueta or Marc Cucurella, while Reece James and Ben Chilwell are set to operate as either full-backs or wing-backs.

Enzo Fernandez impressed in the draw with West Ham and he is set to continue in centre-midfield, while either Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Conor Gallagher could also start if Kovacic and Zakaria are not deemed fit to begin from the first whistle.

In attack, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Mason Mount and Hakim Ziyech will all be competing for a place on the flanks, while Joao Felix – who scored his first Chelsea goal against West Ham – could continue in the number 10 role behind Germany international Kai Havertz.

Chelsea’s possible starting lineup vs Borussia Dortmund :

Arrizabalaga; James, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez; Mount, Felix, Mudryk; Havertz