FC Sevilla keeps Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League preliminary round group G worried about entering the round of 16. Due to the 3-0 (0-0) success of the Spaniards against FC Copenhagen, BVB can only reach the round of the top 16 on Wednesday evening prematurely with at least one draw against leaders Manchester City.
In a draw between Sevilla and Copenhagen, Dortmund would have secured one of the top two places in the table even before their penultimate group game. Now the Westphalians may even have to tremble for a place in the round of 16 until their last preliminary round game on November 2nd (Wednesday) in Copenhagen.
Meanwhile, former title-winners Chelsea became the sixth team to book a place in the round of 16 early. The Blues won Group E at Austrian champion Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 (1-0) with a goal from national player Kai Havertz and have already secured at least second place.
After four rounds, the favorite teams of defending champions Real Madrid and England champions Manchester City as well as the German record champion Bayern Munich, the Belgian representative FC Brugge and the Italian ex-champion SSC Napoli had already qualified for the round of the top 16 before the British.
Seville has been struggling for a long time
In Seville, the hosts struggled in vain for the necessary victory in the game to maintain their chances of the round of 16. After Youssef En-Nesyri (61′) put Dortmund’s rival in the lead, Isco (88′) and Gonzalo Montiel (90’+2′) allayed any doubts about the success they needed in the closing stages, before the Danes even received a red card against Davit Chosholawa (90+5) were decimated.
Havertz put Chelsea on course for success 19 minutes after the break. For the former Leverkusen player, the goal was his first goal of the season in Europe’s premier club. After Mateo Kovacic (23′) gave the English the lead, Chikwubuike Adamu (49′) brought the hosts a temporary equaliser.