FC Porto host Chelsea on Wednesday with a massive chip on their shoulder. The club officials sat bemused and probably, a little embarrassed during the Champions League quarter-final draw. They had to watch the Chelsea delegates slap each other on the back and celebrate their “good fortune” in drawing FC Porto.

Ironically, FC Porto has more Champions League clout than Chelsea as two-time winners, Chelsea, has won the competition once. Jose Mourinho, the manager during their 2004 triumph, went on to begin his tenure as the “Special One” at Chelsea the following season but was unable to bring them
continental glory despite a considerable budget.

Despite domestic struggles that see them trailing Sporting Lisbon by eight points and suspensions to influential players, the Dragões remain highly motivated to challenge Chelsea at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville, Spain. Manager Sergio Conceicao and his team will be looking to teach Chelsea a
lesson in humility and continue the recent trend of an unfancied team reaching the semi-finals.

Chelsea tasted some humble pie with a shocking defeat to relegation fighting West Brom last weekend. Despite his tactical nous and defensive solidity, Thomas Tuchel has struggled to get his team to score more goals. Chelsea, in 5th place, now find themselves in a dead heat race with as
many as seven other teams for the final Champions League berth in the EPL. Chelsea may have to win the current Champions League competition to qualify for next year’s edition.

Chelsea have won five of the eight encounters with FC Porto. Thomas Tuchel is also seeking to become the first manager to win the first three knockout stages matches after taking over a new club since Roberto Di Matteo winning run with Chelsea. FC Porto have also failed to win five of the six quarter-final matches since they last won the Champions League.

Porto will miss Mouhamed Mbaye with injury, while Sérgio Oliveira and Mehdi Taremi serve suspensions. N’Golo Kante is out injured for Chelsea while Christian Pulisic faces a fitness review.

Porto will line up with the traditional 4-4-2. They will look to be compact and retain discipline. It has been very taxing on the players when they lose a teammate during games. In Mariga, who leads the line, they have a player with pace and strength who can hold up the ball and link play. Chelsea linked Jesus Corona will use his speed and creativity to cause trouble for the Chelsea defence.

It is debatable how many players will be missing for Chelsea because more than one managers have described N’Golo Kante as operating like two players. He is so adept at breaking down the opposition’s attacks. Like he was on Saturday, he will again be a big miss. Tuchel will ask his team to
be compact and use his fullbacks to create space on the flanks. Chelsea will press the ball, but Porto will likely sit deep due to their central defender’s slowness. Playing Giroud as a target man would be Tuchel’s best bet to break down Porto. He will hold up the ball and link play with Werner, Mount, Ziyech and Havertz.

Porto have a big point to prove, and they showed against Juventus that you should never write them off. In the absence of Kante, they will have opportunities to get at the Chelsea defence. Look for Porto to win by a 2-1 margin.

Pep Guardiola has overseen the raising of the Blue Moon this season. His all-conquering team, fresh from a 2-0 victory over Leicester City, is chasing the quadruple with a 14 point lead in the Premier League. The legendary quadruple is still on for the Cityzen’s, but this Tuesday, Edin Terzić’s men will stand in their way as they chase the most coveted piece of silverware; The Champions League trophy.

Interim Dortmund manager Terzic needs to call upon all his experience to get the floundering BVB to produce a peak performance. They fell to 1-2 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, and fifth place in the Bundesliga, Champions League qualification seems increasingly unlikely for next season unless they can win it this year.

City and Dortmund have only met twice in the Champions League. In the 2012-13 season with a draw at the Etihad and 1-0 win for Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park. City have won 10 of the last 11 games against German opposition, but Pep will be wary of Dortmund, unbeaten in their last seven European games. Pep has lost four of five quarter-final Champions League matches the past three seasons. He will be determined to prevent a fourth consecutive exit. Dortmund have not reached this far since knocking Monaco out the 2016-17 season.

Man City enter the tie with a fully fit squad and no suspensions. Axel Witsel, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Marcel Schmelzer, Youssoufa Moukoko and Jadon Sancho will be unavailable for Dortmund due to injury. Pep will have the freedom to display his full tactical nuances, while Terzic may continue to play Raphael Guerreiro in midfield among other switches to compensate for absences.

Pep claims that he knows the opposition, although this is arguably a very different team from the Dortmund he faced years ago as Bayern manager. Even more has changed since City transfer target; Erling Haaland used to support his dad, then a City player.

Pep has been taking a much more cautious approach to games this season. His tactics now favour the use of false nines instead of a number nine. Using false nines, the signing of left-sided centre back, Rúben Dias and John Stones’ resurgence have proved to be revelations. City have become more compact defensively while still being able to play possession, passing football. The new system has reduced the number of goals scored, but they have also drastically reduced the number of goals conceded. Although scoring less, City has countless goal threats from midfield. Look out for Dortmund’s former son, Ikay Gundogan, making runs into the box from the half-space positions he likes to occupy. City can dominate any opposition.

Dortmund will take heart from City’s relatively poor form in front of goal. City have not scored more than two goals in their last three games. If Dortmund can keep it tight at the back and nick a goal, they have every chance of outsourcing City at home in the return leg. Terzic will be hoping to see the likes of Jude Bellingham, Marco Reus and Thorgan Hazard creating opportunities for the clinical, record-breaking Haaland. Haaland must retain his discipline as he is one booking away from a suspension.

With Dortmund’s depleted squad, City playing at home have the upper hand. Pep needs to wrap up this tie as much as possible from the first leg, or Terzic could oversee an upset in the return leg. City should take this one 3-1.