Karim Adeyemi's solo goal settled what was a tightly contested match at the Signal Iduna Park three weeks ago to make Dortmund have the upper hand against Chelsea in their return leg today at Stamford Bridge. Graham Potter will, however, be going in search of a priceless win that may buy him some time in the dugout as he is under fire over his recent performance with Chelsea as the head manager. Adeyemi's crucial contribution in the first leg has Dortmund just 90 minutes away from putting another dampener on Chelsea's miserable 2023.While there were reasons for an under-fire Potter to leave Germany with cautious optimism, subsequent defeats to Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur only served to intensify calls for his dismissal. It is safe to say that not all Chelsea fans were pleased to see Wesley Fofana sink Leeds United at the weekend to end a six-game winless run for their side.

If Potter, however, can turn the tide against the German giants and take his side to the next level of the UEFA Champions League competition, he might get back into the good books of the powers at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, Chelsea suffered four successive Champions League last-16 exits between 2014-15 and 2019-20 before going all the way in the 2020-21 campaign but have only advanced in four of their last seven UCL knockout ties in which they lost the first leg. 

Dortmund enters the spring months with domestic and European titles firmly within grasp thanks to an incredible run of success since the turn of the year, after experiencing the true meaning of "close but no cigar" season after season. Since the World Cup, the side led by Edin Terzic has participated in 10 competitive matches in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League, winning all 10. They are currently at the second position in the Bundesliga standings and are only trailing their arch-rivals Bayern Munich on goal difference. However, they have not managed to keep a Champions League clean sheet when playing on foreign soil since November 2020.

London has not been kind to BVB either as they have been defeated in their last five European battles at the English capital ever since beating Arsenal 2-1 in 2013. It is worth noting, however, that the last time Borussia Dortmund won both legs of a Champions League knockout tie which was during the 1996-1997 season, they ended up being the champions of Europe. 

(Image: The Sun)