Chelsea vs Juventus: Three big issues facing Thomas Tuchel’s side in Champions League showdown

Chelsea battle Juventus in a high-profile Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

A point is enough for the holders to secure their place in the last 16, but Thomas Tuchel will have his sights on winning Group H.

Chelsea came unstuck in Turin in a rare blip back in September and will be eager to avenge that loss in west London with only a long trip to Zenit left to come.

Here, James Robson looks at three big issues facing the Blues against Juventus.

Stopping Chiesa

Italy’s Euro 2020 hero Federico Chiesa was a constant thorn in Chelsea’s side in Turin. They could not handle his clever runs or pace whenever he got in behind the defence.

And he was the man who made the difference on the night – scoring the only goal of the game. In truth, he could and should have netted more. Chelsea have been warned.

Making possession count

Chelsea went to Turin and totally dominated possession, with 73 per cent of the ball. Yet they ended up walking away with nothing and wondering how they had failed to capitalise on that dominance.

Wasteful finishing was the answer, with Tuchel’s men registering only one shot on target from 16 attempts. They must be more clinical on Tuesday.

Getting the job done

Qualification remains very much in the European champions’ own hands – but they do not want to head to Russia in bitterly cold conditions next month, needing to take something from Zenit to secure safe passage to the round of 16.

A draw on Tuesday is enough, but far from guaranteed. No slip-ups.

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