Chelsea take a 3-0 aggregate lead to Ukraine to play Dynamo Kiev on Thursday night. The Blues eased to victory at Stamford Bridge a week ago and now hope to see out the second leg to progress to the next round.
Dynamo have their backs against the wall. The first leg was done and dusted after 65 minutes thanks to goals from Pedro and Willian. Two goals wouldn’t have been an insurmountable mountain to climb, however, Callum Hudson-Odoi's 90th minute strike effectively killed off the tie.
Manager Maurizio Sarri has led Chelsea on a four-match unbeaten run. The Blues had to come from behind against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge to earn a 1-1 draw at the weekend. Of course, the Blues had played in Europe three days prior. They have had a number of fixtures in a short span of time and fatigue could be a factor in Ukraine.
Although Sarri does have a full squad to select from, except for Marco van Ginkel who is out long-term, he may choose to rest key players. Chelsea are fighting for a top four finish and play Everton away at the weekend. Chelsea are still the leading favourites to win the Europa League according to leading sportsbooks in the United Kingdom.
Dynamo Kiev got back to winning ways over the weekend in the Ukranian Premier League. They currently sit second in the league. Dynamo defeated city rivals Arsenal Kiev 4-0. They have now won three straight league games by a score of 11-1. Chelsea are a much bigger step-up to the teams playing in the UPL. Dynamo will once again struggle to get on the score sheet and stop Chelsea’s strong attack.
The Ukranian club with be without Spanish forward Fran Sol. He joined the club in January but has been sidelined by a shoulder injury. Dynamo manager Alyaksandr Khatskevich has received a boost in the form of top scorer Benjamin Verbic. He missed the first leg through suspension, which is one reason Dynamo’s attack was so ineffective.
Chelsea have played Dynamo three times in recent years. The Blues have won twice while drawing the third fixture between the clubs. Two of the three games saw over 2.5 goals. Thursday night’s game will see Sarri’s side managing the fixture from the first whistle. As long as something dramatic doesn’t occur, the Blues will progress to the quarterfinals.
The Blues will once again gain victory over Dynamo. The fixture will see more than 2.5 goals scored as the Blues stamp their ticket to the Europa League quarterfinals.