Edin Terzic called on Jude Bellingham to stand up and lead Borussia Dortmund in their "brutally difficult" Champions League task at Chelsea on Tuesday.
Dortmund head to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of their European last-16 clash with a 1-0 lead after Karim Adeyemi's second-half strike proved the difference in the first meeting.
Another heavyweight clash will provide Bellingham with a further chance to prove his worth on the biggest stage, having already impressed for England at the World Cup in Qatar.
The teenage midfielder remains a reported target of Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a host of Europe's elite, yet Bellingham's primary task will be helping Dortmund past Chelsea first.
Dortmund coach Terzic said at Monday's pre-match press conference: "Everyone knows his potential. He also had the opportunity to choose the Premier League when he came to us.
"But he chose Dortmund. He helps us and we help him. We're happy to have him with us, he's a leader of ours. We need a good performance from him."
Bellingham leads Dortmund's scoring charts with four goals in the Champions League this term, including a strike away at Manchester City in the group stages.
The 19-year-old could become the first Englishman in the history of the competition to score away from home against two different English sides.
However, Terzic acknowledged it will take a gutsy performance to overcome Chelsea despite Dortmund heading to England on a 10-match winning streak since the start of 2023.
"I don't think the form will decide tomorrow. It's a knockout game. We have a narrow lead," he added. "We are warned enough, we know what quality they have.
"We all know that sometimes 2-0 is not enough to go through. In the first leg, Chelsea didn't get the result they deserved, they caught us off guard a couple of times but didn't score.
"Then it becomes very dangerous. They showed that [in the Premier League] against Tottenham, against Leeds [United] and Southampton. It's going to be a brutally difficult task for us."
Chelsea had eight shots on target in the first leg, their highest number in a Champions League clash without scoring since Opta data began in 2003.
Graham Potter's side may have deserved more from the opening clash but Dortmund had Gregor Kobel's seven saves to thank – the most he has made in a single match in the competition.
Kobel has been out with a thigh injury and missed Friday's 2-1 Bundesliga victory over RB Leipzig, with Terzic refusing to make an early call on the goalkeeper's fitness for Chelsea.
"We will minimise the risk," Terzic said, before keeping his cards close to his chest and adding: "He has felt better every day."
Atletico and Sociedad reach agreement over Le Normand transfer
Atletico Madrid have "reached an agreement" with Real Sociedad over the signing of Robin Le Normand.
The Spain defender, who was part of the side that won Euro 2024, will finalise his move to Atleti "in the coming days" for a fee believed to be in the region of €34.5million.
French-born Le Normand started his career with Brest before spending eight years with Txuri-Urdin, for whom he made 221 senior appearances across all competitions, while winning the 2019-20 Copa del Rey.
The 27-year-old is fresh from international success in Germany, where he played in six of Spain's seven matches, while he also helped La Roja win the Nations League last year.
A statement on Atletico's official website read: "Atletico and Sociedad have reached an agreement for the transfer of Le Normand. The deal will be finalised in the coming days when the player returns from his holiday.
Meanwhile, Sociedad wrote on X: "We'll always remember his dedication and gratitude to the colours that have shaped him into the player he is today. Good luck."
Bologna chief reveals Hummels approach as Calafiori nears Arsenal move
Bologna chief executive Claudio Fenucci has revealed the club have offered Mats Hummels a contract as they seek to replace Arsenal-bound centre-back Riccardo Calafiori.
Bologna finished fifth in Serie A last season, qualifying for the Champions League as a result of Italian clubs' impressive performances across UEFA's competitions.
There has been plenty of upheaval for the Rossoblu since then, however, with coach Thiago Motta leaving for Juventus and former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano taking his place.
Calafiori, meanwhile, is set for a medical with Arsenal after helping Bologna keep 17 clean sheets in Serie A last term, a tally only bettered by Inter (21) and Torino (18).
With the Italy international on his way out, Bologna have turned to a player with vast Champions League experience in their bid to replace him.
Speaking at the unveiling of recently-signed forward Thjis Dallinga on Friday, Fenucci revealed Bologna are working on a deal to sign Hummels, who left Borussia Dortmund on a free after their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid last month.
"The departure of Calafiori forces us to look for a new central defender," he explained.
"Why does Hummels take some time? It's very normal, we spoke to him recently. It is right that he thinks about it, to arrive with the right motivations.
"We don't have to talk here about our conversations with Hummels, but we explained the project and the city to him.
"Many players have finished their careers here, the city has this attraction, it seems.
"There is no deadline, but if there are no conditions we have to look at other players as well."
Hummels excelled as Dortmund reached their third Champions League final last term, leading all players in the competition for tackles won (29), interceptions (25) and total recoveries (81).
Only eight players in the tournament, meanwhile, played more passes than his 676 throughout BVB's run to the Wembley Stadium showpiece.
Lindstrom joins Everton on loan from Napoli
Everton have completed the loan signing of Jesper Lindstrom from Napoli, the club confirmed on Friday.
Lindstrom will join the Toffees for the 2024-25 season with the deal including an option to make the move permanent at the end of the campaign.
The 24-year-old becomes the fourth addition at Goodison Park following the arrivals of Tim Iroegbunam, Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Harrison.
Lindstrom arrives after a difficult season with Napoli, playing just 416 minutes in 22 league appearances for the Serie A side.
The Denmark international arrived in Naples from Eintracht Frankfurt where he scored 14 goals in 80 appearances, helping the German side lift the Europa League in the 2021-22 season.
“I feel very good. It’s amazing to represent Everton," Lindstrom said in his first interview with the club.
"This is a big club, with big history, a good stadium and, as I’ve seen, very good facilities as well. I’m very, very happy to be here and I feel like this is a good fit.
“I actually heard of Everton’s interest a while ago – not only from now but previously. England is very similar to Denmark so I will feel at home quickly.
“I’ve spoken to the manager. It sounds as though he likes the way I play football and I can be a good fit for the team with my speed, so now I want to deliver."
The search for another attacking option out wide had been the priority at Everton, having seen Arnaut Danjuma return to Villarreal following the completion of his loan deal, and the sale of Lewis Dobbin to Aston Villa.
Everton managed 40 goals last season, the second worst in the Premier League ahead of Sheffield United (35), and Dyche believes Lindstrom has a lot to offer in the final third.
"Jesper is a player with very good ability who can operate in a number of different attacking roles, which will benefit us heading into the new season," said Dyche.
"He joins us with a range of different experiences. He is hungry and eager to succeed with us, and that's a strong starting point as we look to add more productivity to our attack."
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