Chelsea won easily (3-0) against a diminished Milan in this third day of the Champions League. Fofana is out injured.
After a delicate start to the Champions League, Chelsea won its first victory in the 2022/23 edition of the European premier competition on Wednesday, winning brilliantly against AC Milan (3-0), so far. unbeaten, on the 3rd day of the group stage.
3-0, clear, clean and flawless. Faced with a very weakened Milan (injury to Maignan, Hernandez, Calabria, Kjaer, Saelemaekers…) Chelsea made short work of their evening opponent. This is the first European success for Graham Potter, coach of the Blues.
Milan was punished for an incredible passivity
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The first period was very balanced at the start. Milan had their foot on the ball, but Chelsea were very well in place defensively, and were dangerous on the counter, like the first real chance of the match on a shot from Mount (5e) deflected for a corner by Tatarusanu. The 22 players did not hesitate to put a lot, even too much commitment in this first act (14 faults and 4 yellow cards). Milan was punished for an incredible passivity. Thiago Silva finds himself alone to place a header, not once, not twice, but three times in a row in the Milan area.
The tile with Fofana’s injury
On the third attempt, the ball returned to Fofana after a scramble, who only had to push the ball into the net. The French defender unfortunately distinguished himself a second time in this meeting, this time coming out on injury (38e). Milan had the opportunity to come back to the score on a great opportunity from Krunic (45 + 4e) but the Bosnian striker did not take this chance.
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Returning from the locker room, Milan seemed calmer after the difficult last twenty minutes of the first period. A short-lived hope for the visitors, who were punished twice in six minutes, first by Aubameyang on a fine serve from James (2-0, 56e) then by this same James, this time at the finish, author of a beautiful strike in the skylight, almost at the end of Tatarusanu (3-0, 62e). During the last half hour, Chelsea contented themselves with managing their lead in the score and even keeping their cleen-sheet, taking advantage in particular of the offensive passivity of Milan (a single strike in the second half, at 90+1e).
After its surprise defeat in Zagreb (1-0), which led to the dismissal of coach Thomas Tuchel replaced by Graham Potter, and the draw (1-1) against Salzburg, the English club, winner of the C1 during the season 2020/2021 and quarter-finalist last year, goes back thanks to this success to 2nd place in group E, one length behind leader Salzburg. Milan will meet Chelsea, this time at home, next week, on Tuesday 11 October.
