Graham Potter hints at what formation Chelsea could use vs Borussia Dortmund. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
As quoted by Evening Standard, Chelsea boss Graham Potter has urged everyone at the club to focus on beating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last-16 tie before thinking of a trophyless season.
Chelsea are out of both the domestic cup competitions, while there is no chance of catching up in the league. So, the only chance to lift silverware this season is in the Champions League.
While that sounds pretty straightforward, it is anything but. The Blues face a tricky tie against Dortmund, a team who has been in great form under Edin Terzic since the resumption of their campaign in 2023.
Here’s what Potter said when asked about the tie and what is required to beat the German giants (h/t Evening Standard):
“In a knockout competition anything can happen. That’s the thing. It’s two games. I don’t think it’s valuable for us to look past Dortmund.
“We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well. We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.
“[This squad] has won the Champions League. They’ve experienced it. They’ll want to fight for the game, that’s for sure, and that’s exciting for us.”
The good thing is that despite the raft of changes due to a cluster of new signings in the last two transfer windows, there are quite a few players still in the squad who lifted the Champions League title against all the odds in 2021.
Players of experience and pedigree such as Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kante (hopefully fit soon), Mateo Kovacic and more can fall back on what they did to win this competition not long ago.
But, just as Potter said, it is important to not look too far ahead. Although the aim should be to go as deep as possible in the tournament, it won’t be wrong to think that a string of good performances can elevate the confidence of the team.
At the moment, we are not able to sustain good periods in the game. What it is doing is offering encouragement to the opposition to have a pop at hurting us in transition. Amidst all the spending, Potter should focus on finding the right balance for the team sooner rather than later.
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