Chelsea head to Croatia for Tuesday night’s Champions League group stage curtain raiser. The Blues, who are very much inconsistent right now, will hope to get their Champions League campaign up and running.
Thomas Tuchel’s team came from behind to defeat West Ham at the weekend 2-1 at home, but critics of the match claim Chelsea benefitted from a favourable VAR call, which overturned a Hammers’ equaliser. The call was correct, however.
Dinamo vs Chelsea ⚡️ Rasprodane tribine zapad dolje i zapad gore! 💙🔥🤩 U prodaji još samo ulaznice za sjever dolje i sjever gore ⚽️#dinamozagreb #UCL pic.twitter.com/UKxETLamvS— GNK Dinamo (@gnkdinamo) September 4, 2022
Dinamo vs Chelsea ⚡️ Rasprodane tribine zapad dolje i zapad gore! 💙🔥🤩 U prodaji još samo ulaznice za sjever dolje i sjever gore ⚽️#dinamozagreb #UCL pic.twitter.com/UKxETLamvS
Dinamo Zagreb are in fine form in the Croatian Division 1. Tuesday’s home team is unbeaten in eight matches and tops the league by eight points already.
These teams have not played previously in European competition. This season’s Champions League has thrown up a few matches between teams that have not met before or in some time. This is one of those matches giving fans the chance to see something different.
Raheem Sterling leads Chelsea in goals this season with three in the Premier League. Sterling will likely start in attack unless Tuchel decides to make an adjustment to the Chelsea attack. However, Tuchel will want to get off to a strong start and playing Sterling will help the Blues’ cause in Croatia.
Chelsea signed striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on transfer deadline day. The striker could make his debut for the Blues in the Champions League although questions surrounding his fitness have been raised.
Midfielder N’Golo Kante will miss out once more due to a thigh injury. Meanwhile, transfer signing Denis Zakaria, on loan from Juventus, could make his debut after dealing with some work permit issues.
Ante Cacic will lead Dinamo Zagreb onto the pitch on Tuesday night. The manager joined the club last April and has kept the job after getting Zagreb into the Champions League through the qualification rounds.
Long-standing goal scorer Miroslav Orsic leads Dinamo Zagreb in goals on the domestic front this season. Orisc has been in fine form bagging four goals for the club. The striker scored three goals in Dinamo Zagreb’s six Champions League qualifying matches.
Chelsea will need to slow down Orisic and hope summer signing Josip Drmic or Bruno Petkovic don’t pick up the slack. Drmic joined the club on a free transfer from Norwich City during the summer window.
Cacic doesn’t appear to have any fresh injuries ahead of Chelsea’s arrival. Despite having a full squad that is in form, Dinamo Zagreb should struggle on the night. Chelsea should post a second straight win in all competitions with a 3-1 victory in Zagreb.