The Champions League returned this week and now on Wednesday, we have something very unusual in the knockout stages of this tournament, a matchup between two big global teams who've yet to face off in a competitive match: Dortmund and Chelsea.
Will the German side be able to keep up their great start to 2023 or will Chelsea give themselves a lead to take back to Stamford Bridge? Find out in our Dortmund vs. Chelsea betting picks below.
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea odds
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea picks and predictions
Wednesday sees two Champions League games with Dortmund vs. Chelsea the pick of the pair. Despite both Dortmund and Chelsea being Champions League regulars, this is the first time that they’ve ever met in a competitive fixture, with this being the first of a two-leg Round of 16 matchup.
Dortmund are in incredible form, having won all seven competitive games in 2023 so far, scoring 22 goals in the process. Chelsea haven’t had quite that form, winning just one of eight games in all competitions and scoring just four and allowing nine goals over that span.
This is a team that's struggled this season, and while they've recruited well in January, so many of those players haven't been able to register with their new squad and the notable Benoit Badiashille missing out on the UCL squad.
One man who was included in the squad was Joao Felix, with the Portuguese forward arriving on loan from Atletico Madrid. He’s only played twice for Chelsea, getting sent off on his debut and getting suspended before returning to action this past weekend.
Despite having not played many minutes for Chelsea, it’s fair to say that he’s impressed in the short time he’s been on the pitch. He pulled the strings against West Ham, sitting behind Kai Havertz and playing the ball into the German and Chelsea’s other attacking talents. He finished off a great performance with a goal and despite only recently arriving in London, he looks like he’s already become integral to Chelsea’s attack.
Joao Felix is yet to score or assist in the UCL this season but has done so consistently for Chelsea and Atletico at the domestic level and I'm confident we'll see one of those two things on Wednesday.
He’ll play in the spaces between an aging Emre Can at the base of Dortmund’s midfield and the defense. He’s +165 to be involved in a goal — either scoring it or assisting it — which looks like value given his importance to Chelsea.
My best bet: Joao Felix to score or assist (+165 at FanDuel)
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Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea side analysis
The sportsbooks aren’t sure who’ll end up winning this game, with the home side being marginal favorites. However, I’d lean towards backing Dortmund given the incredible run they’re on, especially with Chelsea also struggling. That said, I see both teams scoring, which could make picking a result tricky.
Dortmund will line up with a 4-1-4-1 with Sebastien Haller making his Champions League debut this season following his recovery from cancer.
Behind him, it’s Marco Reus and Jude Bellingham, who are key to Dortmund’s chances with both players capable of both scoring and assisting. Bellingham will relish this battle against a Chelsea team featuring some of his English teammates.
Chelsea are still riddled with injuries with long-term absentees still missing but it’s possible that Denis Zakaria and Wesley Fofana could return. We will see a number of players play their first Champions League games for Chelsea with Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernandez, and Noni Madueke all likely to start for the Londoners.
Fernandez has been impressive in his appearances for Chelsea so far and already looks like one of the most important players on the team.
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea Over/Under analysis
The odds are split with the likelihood of this game featuring either Over or Under 2.5 goals looking finely balanced.
In the group stage of this season’s Champions League, we saw three of Dortmund’s six Champions League games featuring three or more goals, with Chelsea also only hitting that number in three games too.
Domestically, there have been Over 2.5 goals in 66.7% of Dortmund’s home games in the Bundesliga, with the previous five matches all hitting the Over. Chelsea’s Premier League campaign has seen them hit Over 2.5 goals in just 41.7% of games away from Stamford Bridge.
I don’t have a strong opinion on this match but if I had to place a bet, I’d wager on Over 2.5 goals, with Dortmund in great attacking form and Chelsea’s new attacking additions all starting to gel.
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea game info
| Location: | Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany |
| Date: | Wednesday, February 15, 2023 |
| Time: | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Paramount+ |
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea key injuries
Borussia Dortmund: Youssoufa Moukoko STR (Out).
Chelsea: Benoit Badiashille CB (Out), Armando Broja STR (Out), Christian Pulisic FWR (Out), N’Golo Kante CM (Out), Edouard Mendy GK (Out), Wesley Fofana CB (Questionable), Mateo Kovacic CM (Questionable), Denis Zakaria CM (Questionable), Raheem Sterling FWR (Questionable).
Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea weather
Temperatures will be in the mid-40s when this match kicks off.
