Potter relishing Champions League challenge as Chelsea beat AC Milan

Chelsea took vantage of an aboriginal reddish paper against Fikayo Tomori to bushed AC Milan 2-0 astatine the San Siro and determination apical of Champions League Group E connected Tuesday.

The Blues' triumph continues a beardown commencement nether manager Graham Potter, who remains undefeated successful 3 Champions League matches since taking implicit for Thomas Tuchel.

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Milan were severely hindered by a antheral disadvantage aft Tomori was sent disconnected aboriginal aft fouling Mason Mount successful punishment successful the 18th minute, which Chelsea capitalised connected with Jorginho converting from the spot. Soon after, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued his bully signifier by doubling Chelsea's pb to gain his side's 4th consecutive triumph and proceed their unbeaten commencement nether Potter's stewardship.

Chelsea did endure a stroke successful the 2nd fractional arsenic Reece James was forced disconnected injured conscionable aft the hr mark.

With 7 points aft 4 matches, Chelsea beryllium connected apical of the radical followed by FC Salzburg with six. AC Milan and Dinamo Zagreb each person 4 points.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid Reaction

1. Chelesa's Potter makes airy of measurement up to Champions League

Graham Potter admitted astatine his unveiling arsenic Chelsea brag that helium had ne'er adjacent been to a Champions League match. A period later, the 47-year-old has taken 7 points from his archetypal 3 matches successful the competition, recovering a dilatory commencement nether his predecessor Thomas Tuchel to enactment the Blues' Group E destiny successful their ain hands.

Back-to-back wins implicit a resurgent -- if under-strength -- AC Milan is simply a notable accomplishment for Potter, peculiarly winning present successful the cauldron of the San Siro. Fikayo Tomori's aboriginal reddish paper made this a overmuch easier trial than it could person been but Chelsea showed composure and maturity to forge into a 2-0 pb and past basal their crushed erstwhile Milan's supporters wanted referee Daniel Siebert to adjacent up the sides with each foul Chelsea committed (10 players ended being carded).

Chelsea inactive person a tricky travel to FC Salzburg but they cognize triumph implicit Dinamo Zagreb adjacent clip retired volition guarantee they scope the past 16.

2. AC Milan's Tomori sees red, suffers erstwhile much against ex-club

Tomori has made rather a sanction for himself astatine San Siro since leaving Chelsea, initially connected indebtedness successful January 2021 earlier a imperishable £24 cardinal determination past summer. He admitted earlier past week's reverse fixture determination was a "point to prove" against his erstwhile employers.

Yet aft a chastening instrumentality to westbound London past week, his engagement lasted conscionable 18 minutes connected Tuesday, sent disconnected by German referee Daniel Siebert for pulling backmost Mason Mount successful the box. It looked a harsh telephone connected archetypal viewing but Tomori got the incorrect broadside of Mount and past gave the referee a determination to marque by grappling with his erstwhile teammate arsenic helium bore down connected goal.

Once Siebert decided it was a foul, the reddish paper was a logical step. Tomori argued his lawsuit furiously arsenic the vociferous location fans vented their choler but the 24-year-old had to permission the field. And this incidental present joins past week's 3-0 decision connected apical of an ain extremity scored astatine Chelsea portion connected indebtedness astatine Derby successful November 2018.

Such a high-profile mistake is besides an untimely stroke for Tomori's hopes of forcing his mode into Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup.

3. Injury concerns physique for engaged Blues

The lone downside for Potter present was a deepening wounded concern which isn't terrible capable yet to beryllium branded a situation but nevertheless a concern of mounting concern. James, who has impressed successful these 2 matches against Milan, trudged disconnected connected Tuesday with a occupation conscionable aft the hr mark.

Wesley Fofana is already ruled retired for respective week with a genu wounded portion N'Golo Kante suffered a setback successful his betterment from a hamstring occupation and Hakim Ziyech is unwell.

The games travel heavy and accelerated until the World Cup with 9 much games until the tourney starts. Potter is already rotating heavy -- helium made six much changes present -- and everyone volition beryllium needed successful the coming weeks.

Player ratings

AC Milan: Tatarusanu 7, Kalulu 6, Gabbia 6, Tomori 4, Hernandez 6, Bennacer 6, Tonali 6, Diaz 6, Krunic 6, Leao 6, Giroud 5.
Subs: Dest 5, Rebic 6, Pobega 6, Origi 6, Ballo-Toure 6.

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga 6, Koulibaly 7, Chalobah 7, Silva 7, Chilwell 7, James 7, Kovacic 7, Jorginho 7, Mount 7, Sterling 6, Aubameyang 7.
Subs: Gallagher 6, Loftus-Cheek 7, Azpilicueta 6, Havertz 6, Cucurella 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Reece James, Chelsea.

Theo Hernandez is simply a hugely influential subordinate for Milan but connected the aforesaid flank, James outshone him and regularly caused Milan problems successful modulation arsenic Chelsea wrestled power of the game.

WORST: Fikayo Tomori, AC Milan.

Will see himself unfortunate to beryllium dismissed but helium was caught the incorrect broadside of Mount and gave his squad a hugely hard task for 72 minutes with 10 men.

Highlights and notable moments

So, did Tomori merit a reddish paper here?

Fikayo Tomori was sent disconnected for this situation connected Mason Mount, was it a reddish card? 👀 pic.twitter.com/oiBXtbrkPB

This was the foul that sent Tomori disconnected and awarded Chelsea a penalty. pic.twitter.com/YDgAa92XwT

Frame-by-frame of the interaction betwixt Tomori and Mount.

After the match: What the managers, players said

AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli connected Tomori's reddish card: "I conscionable asked the referee whether VAR was moving properly. I don't judge it was the referee's champion evening tonight, that is without a doubt."

Chelsea manager Graham Potter connected Tomori's reddish card: "It's hard from wherever I'm sitting. It looks similar helium had his manus connected him and Mason Mount was done connected goal. I request to look again clearly. It's bully for the punishment and bully for Jorginho to score."

Key Stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Jorginho's past 19 goals person each travel from the punishment spot. His extremity connected Tuesday was his 7th vocation punishment extremity successful Champions League (6 with Chelsea), which puts him astatine 8th all-time. Since helium joined Chelsea successful 2018-19, the lone players with much goals from the spot successful Champions League are Robert Lewandowski (9) and Lionel Messi (7).

Up next

Chelsea: A slew of upcoming Premier League matches-- astatine Aston Villa connected Sunday past astatine Brentford connected Wednesday, earlier hosting Manchester United connected Oct. 22. The Blues' adjacent Champions League crippled volition beryllium astatine FC Salzburg connected Oct. 25.

AC Milan: At Hellas Verona successful Serie A enactment connected Saturday and past hosting Monza connected Oct. 22. Then a travel to Dinamo Zagreb for Champions League connected Oct. 25.