Champions League round of 16: Potter’s job on the line as Chelsea hosts Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea’s last chance to win a trophy this season might also be its best route to qualify for next season’s European competitions — a goal that is key to balancing club finances.

Published : Mar 06, 2023 20:00 IST

Dortmund beats Chelsea in the first leg and will look to seal a spot in the quarterfinals with a draw or win in the return leg.
Dortmund beats Chelsea in the first leg and will look to seal a spot in the quarterfinals with a draw or win in the return leg. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Dortmund beats Chelsea in the first leg and will look to seal a spot in the quarterfinals with a draw or win in the return leg. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Exiting the Champions League at the round of 16 stage is never good for a coach’s often shaky job security at Europe’s top clubs.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have earned reputations for burning through top coaches — including Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel at both — and head into second-leg games trailing 1-0.

Graham Potter has been in charge at Chelsea for just six months though he is under pressure heading into Borussia Dortmund’s visit to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Chelsea’s last chance to win a trophy this season might also be its best route to qualify for next season’s European competitions — a goal that is key to balancing club finances.

A 1-0 win over Leeds on Saturday kept Chelsea in 10th place in the Premier League, trailing five points behind the likely cut-off to qualify for a lower-tier European competition.

“It’s really good for the players to win and to keep a clean sheet,” Potter said. “It gives us confidence... as we prepare for a massive game on Tuesday.”

“If you create chances the goals will come because the quality of the players is there... I’m delighted for the players and for the supporters because they are the most important in the football club,” he added.

Winning the Champions League ensures entry to next season’s competition regardless of domestic league placing. That was a route Chelsea relied on when first becoming European champion in 2012.

Chelsea had been on a six-game winless run, scoring only one goal, while Dortmund has surged since German soccer resumed in January after the World Cup.

Dortmund’s 10 straight wins include victory over Chelsea and a 2-1 win Friday over Leipzig, which faces Manchester City in the Champions League on March 14.

Dortmund coach Edin Terzić has been in post for just 10 months, though it his second spell in charge at a club where has worked at various levels for more than a decade.

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