Europe heals Chelsea – AS.com

Something has changed at Chelsea. The victory against Leeds United was the turning point necessary to change the dynamics of results, but the comeback against Borussia Dortmund, which allows the Blues reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League, gives wings to a team that is beginning to show significant signs of improvement. Despite the fact that it was difficult for them to open the can, the London team signed their best performance of 2023 against Edin Terzic’s pupils. local face the second half more calmly. The situation in the Premier League is still completely complicated, but the European competition could be Chelsea’s escape route until the end of the season. Graham Potter had two games to begin to reverse the situation, and the English coach has complied, so far, with the requirements of the board Blue.

Who follows her gets her

The temple Blue dressed up for the occasion. The atmosphere that surrounded Stamford Bridge was that of a team and fans that believed in a comeback. Very soon things turned upside down for the Blues when, before minute 5, Julian Brandt, one of Borussia Dortmund’s most fit players, was forced to request a change due to injury. The desire of the London team to vindicate themselves against their own was such that the first two occasions fell on their side, with João Félix as the protagonist in both. First, a one-on-one after a great cut inside the area that the German goalkeeper saved, and immediately afterwards a pass over the defense for Kai Havertz that the Chelsea attacker was unable to take advantage of. The Portuguese was beginning to like him. As much as Kepa Arrizabalaga at quarter of an hour into the match, when he flew to avoid Marco Reus’s free-kick goal.

Edin Terzic’s pupils took a step forward and managed, during an important section of the first part, to confine the Blues In his field. Although borussers They did not generate great scoring chances, Chelsea had lost their initial dominance. It was Kai Havertz who woke up the Chelsea fans again, but the German is denied in front of goal. The ’29 ′ caught a ball inside the area, but his hit crashed directly into the post. The seven consecutive games without seeing a goal were beginning to be too big a slab for Chelsea’s offensive reference. And if on top of that when he manages to score it is annulled, there is no one to comfort Kai Havertz. A save by Alexander Meyer in the one-on-one with Raheem Sterling and, in the subsequent rejection, the German nailed the ball into the top corner, but the play was invalidated due to the illegal position of the English winger.

A double chance from a set piece, a long shot from João Félix and a great appearance from the left wing by Ben Chilwell that was finished off by the English winger himself. Chelsea arrived more and more and with more danger. The first half of Graham Potter’s charges were only missing the goal, and it came. In a completely hasty play, with a single miss shot and subsequent rebound from Raheem Sterling, the ’17′ justified why he has relegated the signing of the 100 million euros Mykhailo Mudryk to the bench. The Englishman, at 43′, hit him hard up top to beat the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper. Now yes, Stamford Bridge exploded.

Finally, Havertz

And if the first half had started well, the second half did better. In the first play of the second 45 minutes, Marius Wolf covered a cross by Ben Chilwell with his hand and the referee, after reviewing the action in the VAR, indicated the maximum penalty. A play that had its crumb from the beginning to the end. Kai Havertz would be in charge of executing the penalty, but his shot crashed, again, into the post. When the German attacker was already lamenting his second stick of the night, the Dutch referee gave him a cheer. The shot had to be retaken because a Borussia Dortmund player, who later cleared the ball, had entered the area prematurely. Again it would be Kai Havertz who took responsibility, and this time he did not fail. In ’29 ′ he repeated the side and beat Alexander Meyer with a low shot, stuck to the strain of the post. The same one that had brought him so much trouble.

With 2-0 on the scoreboard and ahead overall in the tie, the Blues They chose to take refuge. A decision that cost the local team the first scares of the second half. Jude Bellingham missed a chance from inside the small area when he had everything in his favor to close the gap. The English international put his hands to his face. Minutes later, another intervention by Kepa Arrizabalaga removed the danger from the local goal. But even in the minutes when Borussia Dortmund harassed them the most, Graham Potter’s men had their chances. Another goal would be annulled to the local team for offside by Raheem Sterling, who in the one-on-one gave the ball to Conor Gallagher. Edin Terzic’s men pressed until the end, but between the local defense and Kepa Arrizabalaga they repelled any visitor approach. Second win and clean sheet in a row, and Chelsea are already in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.