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| BBC Report UEFA Report | |||||||
| Event | 2022–23 UEFA Champions League | ||||||
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| Date | Wednesday 15 February 2023 | ||||||
| Venue | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund | ||||||
| Player of the Match | Karim Adeyemi | ||||||
| Referee | Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain) | ||||||
| Attendance | 81,365 | ||||||
| Weather | 8 °C (46 °F) | ||||||
← Dortmund - Bremen Chelsea - West Ham Dortmund - Berlin Chelsea - S'hampton → | |||||||
Borussia Dortmund v Chelsea was a match which took place at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday 15 February 2023.
Preview[]
Chelsea manager Graham Potter has hit back at criticism that he lacks passion and does not get angry enough.
Former England defender Rio Ferdinand suggested Potter needs to be like Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho in post-match interviews.
The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham on Saturday, when they were not given a penalty for a handball by Hammers midfielder Tomas Soucek.
"Of course I get angry, I'm a human being," Potter said of the criticism.
Hundreds of grassroots referees have told the BBC they fear for their safety when refereeing and are dissatisfied with current measures to tackle abuse.
Speaking before his side's Champions League last-16 first leg at Borussia Dortmund, the Englishman said: "I'm careful not to get into discussion through the media.
"It's just that I choose to conduct myself in the way I believe I should. The same media are talking about me being more angry and then running stories about referees at grassroots level."
More than 900 referees in England responded to a Radio 5 Live questionnaire, with 293 saying they had been physically abused by spectators, players, coaches or managers.
Potter added: "It's an emotional thing but I have a responsibility to Chelsea, the game and myself to act in a certain way for me."
Meanwhile, Potter has played down a potential fallout between Mykhailo Mudryk and Marc Cucurella.
January signing Mudryk appeared to like an Instagram post criticising Cucurella after expressing frustration with his team-mate during Saturday's draw at West Ham.
"There's no problem in terms of anything sinister at all," said Potter. "If anything it's just team-mates understanding each other.
"It's quite a common problem, I would say - when to pass, at what point, at what time."
The Bundesliga side are in superb form, winning all six of their matches this year and currently sit third in the league.
However, head coach Edin Terzic says it will be difficult to know what to expect from their English opponents with Chelsea spending lavishly on the likes of British record signing Fernandez in January while still being without N'Golo Kante.
"It is not easy to analyse [Chelsea]," Terzic said.
"After the Champions League draw we watched their games but then in the transfer window there was so much movement from them.
"They sold key players, brought in other key players. Then we saw the official Champions League list but then there was the transfer of Joao Felix, for example," Terzic added.
"So you don't know how they will play. In defence they played with four but before also with three in the back. We will prepare for everything."
The loss of Sterling, who also missed Saturday's Premier League trip to West Ham with a knee problem, will come as a blow to manager Graham Potter, who for all Chelsea's January spending did not see an established goalscorer arrive at Stamford Bridge.
With Aubameyang - the club's only proven goalscorer at this level - unavailable against his former club, Glenn Hoddle, who managed Chelsea for three years between 1993-1996 says the club's midfielders will have to contribute more.
The Blues have won once and scored just four goals in their last eight games in all competitions.
"They haven't got a 20-plus goalscorer, so everyone's got to come to the table to get Chelsea over the line in games," said Hoddle.
"The key to their success will be the likes of Mason Mount, Mykhailo Mudryk and Kai Havertz all chipping in scoring.
"The Champions League, if they get through Dortmund, could be the tipping point for him [Potter] going on a really good run, for getting the confidence in the squad.
"The problem is they don't look like a functioning team at the moment. They missed out on a striker, which was surprising."
Team News[]
Chelsea will be without England forward Raheem Sterling for the game in Germany, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left out of for the knockout stages along with several of their January signings.
Joao Felix, Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk may start, and centre-backs Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana have also travelling.
Dortmund's teenage forward Youssoufa Moukoko is out with an ankle injury.
Former West Ham striker Sebastien Haller or French forward Anthony Modeste are expected to start in place of the 18-year-old.
Match Report[]
Karim Adeyemi scored a brilliant solo goal to condemn Chelsea to defeat in their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Borussia Dortmund.
The Premier League side rued missed chances as Joao Felix shot over from a good position and then hit the crossbar in the first half.
Reece James also forced two fine saves out of Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the second half as the visitors grew in confidence against the hosts, who were themselves struggling to create many chances.
But Chelsea were undone on the counter midway through the second period when Adeyemi broke from inside his own half following a Chelsea corner, knocked the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga before slotting into the empty net.
Chelsea, to their credit, pushed for an equaliser and Emre Can swept the ball right off the goalline as Kalidou Koulibaly's deflected strike looks certain to trickle into the net.
Enzo Fernandez thought he'd equalise in the last seconds of stoppage time but his goalbound long-range strike was stopped superbly by Kobel as Dortmund held on.
Defeat leaves Graham Potter's side with the task of overturning the tie when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on 7 March.
Chelsea brought in eight new players during a busy January, yet this was another match that exposed their failure to sign an out-and-out striker.
Three of the Blues' big money arrivals started the game - Mykhailo Mudryk, Fernandez and Felix - with the others ineligible because of Champions League restrictions on the number of players who can be added to squads after the group stage.
All three certainly add to the Chelsea squad's quality but none have so far been able to provide the answer to their goalscoring issues.
Felix was outstanding in the first half in Germany and looked the most likely to make a breakthrough as he got into several good positions, but failed to capitalise.
It took almost an hour for Chelsea to manage a shot on target - when James' free kick was superbly saved. Dortmund were not much better, but showed the clinical touch when Adeyemi broke, powered past Fernandez and then Kepa before slotting into the net.
The travelling fans were left frustrated - as Chelsea were arguably the better side against hosts who had won their previous six games.
Chelsea haven't scored twice in a game since the start of November, underlining the enormity of their task in the return leg unless things improve significantly in the final third.
Match[]
Details[]
| 15 February 2023 21:00 |
 Borussia Dortmund
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1–0 | Chelsea 
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Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Attendance: 81,365 Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain) |
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Adeyemi  63'
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BBC Report UEFA Report |
          Borussia Dortmund
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     Chelsea
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Match Stats[]
| Overall | Borussia Dortmund | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 1 | 0 |
| Total shots | 14 | 21 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 8 |
| Ball possession | 47% | 53% |
| Corner kicks | 5 | 10 |
| Fouls committed | 13 | 12 |
