Chelsea

Explained: Why Chelsea vs Dortmund match was delayed in last-minute Champions League change

Dan Bernstein
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Chelsea Dortmund pre-match
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Chelsea's match against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16 has been delayed at least 10 minutes.
  • Kick-off planned for 8 p.m. local time
  • UEFA pushes it back 10 minutes
  • Transportation trouble blamed

WHAT HAPPENED? There were reports of Dortmund's bus struggling to turn a corner at Harwood Road earlier Tuesday, potentially leading to a late arrival at Stamford Bridge and pushing back the German side's pre-match routine, and streets were also packed with fans throughout the afternoon and evening.

Dortmund players were warming up as of 15 minutes before the initially scheduled kick-off, however UEFA still chose to delay the game 10 minutes.

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Dortmund tweet

WHY DID UEFA DELAY THE MATCH? Thankfully, there is no indication of dangerous conditions outside the stadium as occurred in Paris for last year's Champions League final. Instead, Dortmund's bus arrived late enough for their carefully crafted pre-game timeline to be thrown off. According to The Times, a blockage at the Stamford Bridge entrance was the main culprit.

IN ONE PHOTO:

Jude Bellingham Dortmund Chelsea pre-match 2022-23

WHAT'S NEXT IN THE UCL? After Tuesday's pair of fixtures, PSG will visit Bayern Munich and AC Milan will visit Tottenham on Wednesday.

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