Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan: Blues produce emphatic and deserved win over Serie A giants

5 min read
06 October 2022
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Chelsea boss Graham PotterThe win was Graham Potter's first in the competition as the new Chelsea boss

Chelsea's Champions League campaign kicked into gear with an emphatic and fully deserved win over AC Milan at Stamford Bridge.

New manager Graham Potter knew victory was essential after a poor start to their group phase with defeat away by Dinamo Zagreb finishing Thomas Tuchel's reign before a draw at home to Red Bull Salzburg.

And Chelsea delivered in style, with England right-back Reece James the star man as they eventually overpowered Milan.

Wesley Fofana scored his first goal for the club after 24 minutes when Milan failed to clear a corner, although the £70m defender's night was soon ended by injury.

The Italians almost equalised right on half-time when Rade Krunic fired over with the goal at his mercy.

It was a rare anxious moment and the second half belonged to Chelsea, and James in particular, the right-back demonstrating why he commands such faith at club level and from England manager Gareth Southgate.

James was the provider after 56 minutes when he crossed for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to apply a simple finish, then he was the finisher five minutes later with a powerful strike which flew high past Milan keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu at his near post.

Chelsea deliver for Potter

Potter will be delighted with the manner of this important win, not only because it gave Chelsea the three points they needed to boost their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stage, but it was also just the sort of victory and performance any new manager wants early in their reign.

Chelsea stuttered against Salzburg and Potter admitted they rode their luck to beat Crystal Palace on Saturday but was this a comprehensive triumph over a Milan side that rarely threatened, apart from when the pacy and talented Rafael Leao was in possession, carving out the clear chance which Krunic somehow missed on the stroke of half-time.

Otherwise, this was a tale of Chelsea domination, the night only clouded by that injury to Fofana that Potter will hope does not prove serious.

After Fofana's opening goal, it was left to James to demonstrate exactly why England manager Southgate is prepared to ignore the lobby for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold to get a place in the England team at right-back.

James is close to the complete defender, solid in defence and also potent in attack here, making Aubameyang's job easy for Chelsea's second then crashing in the third himself.

James goes about his business quietly but ability, power and attitude make him a formidable proposition.

Aubameyang finds his touch

Aubameyang may have been taken aback when Tuchel, the manager who worked with him at Borussia Dortmund and was central to his arrival at Chelsea from Barcelona, was sacked shortly after his return.

Chelsea and Potter moved to reassure the striker about his situation and he is starting to prove exactly why they were so keen to bring him back from Catalonia, where he moved after he was exiled at Arsenal.

He showed his expertise with a goal in the win at Crystal Palace and demonstrated his poacher's instinct here with an instinctive finish from James' cross.

Aubameyang will be a serious weapon for Potter and Chelsea if he regains top form and he looks in the mood to enjoy his career at Stamford Bridge.

Player of the match

JamesReece James

Chelsea

  • Squad number24Player nameJames

  • Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

  • Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

  • Squad number21Player nameChilwell

  • Squad number29Player nameHavertz

  • Squad number8Player nameKovacic

  • Squad number33Player nameFofana

  • Squad number23Player nameGallagher

  • Squad number26Player nameKoulibaly

  • Squad number14Player nameChalobah

  • Squad number9Player nameAubameyang

  • Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga

  • Squad number17Player nameSterling

  • Squad number18Player nameBroja

  • Squad number19Player nameMount

  • Squad number5Player nameJorginho

AC Milan

  • Squad number9Player nameGiroud

  • Squad number23Player nameTomori

  • Squad number17Player nameRafael Leão

  • Squad number4Player nameBennacer

  • Squad number21Player nameDest

  • Squad number90Player nameDe Ketelaere

  • Squad number20Player nameKalulu

  • Squad number33Player nameKrunic

  • Squad number5Player nameBallo-Touré

  • Squad number8Player nameTonali

  • Squad number27Player nameOrigi

  • Squad number1Player nameTatarusanu

  • Squad number10Player nameDíaz

  • Squad number12Player nameRebic

  • Squad number32Player namePobega

  • Squad number46Player nameGabbia

Line-ups Chelsea

Formation 3-4-2-1

1Arrizabalaga

33Fofana6Thiago Silva26Koulibaly

24James12Loftus-Cheek8Kovacic21Chilwell

17Sterling19Mount

9Aubameyang

  • 1Arrizabalaga
  • 33Fofana Substituted forChalobahat 38'minutes
  • 6Thiago SilvaBooked at 71mins
  • 26Koulibaly
  • 24James
  • 12Loftus-Cheek
  • 8KovacicBooked at 39mins Substituted forJorginhoat 66'minutes
  • 21Chilwell
  • 17Sterling Substituted forBrojaat 75'minutes
  • 19Mount Substituted forHavertzat 74'minutes
  • 9Aubameyang Substituted forGallagherat 65'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Jorginho
  • 10Pulisic
  • 13Bettinelli
  • 14Chalobah
  • 16Mendy
  • 18Broja
  • 20Zakaria
  • 22Ziyech
  • 23Gallagher
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 29Havertz
  • 32Cucurella

AC Milan

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Tatarusanu

21Dest20Kalulu23Tomori5Ballo-Touré

4Bennacer8Tonali

33Krunic90De Ketelaere17da Conceição Leão

9Giroud

  • 1Tatarusanu
  • 21Dest
  • 20Kalulu
  • 23TomoriBooked at 42mins
  • 5Ballo-TouréBooked at 15mins
  • 4Bennacer Substituted forPobegaat 73'minutes
  • 8Tonali
  • 33KrunicBooked at 8mins Substituted forGabbiaat 65'minutes
  • 90De Ketelaere Substituted forRebicat 64'minutes
  • 17da Conceição Leão Substituted forDíazat 72'minutes
  • 9Giroud Substituted forOrigiat 73'minutes

Substitutes

  • 10Díaz
  • 12Rebic
  • 27Origi
  • 32Pobega
  • 46Gabbia
  • 83Mirante
  • 88Gala
  • 93Coubis
  • 96Jungdal

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