LONDON – Chelsea may have spent over £500 million (S$809 million) on new players, but their first season under new ownership will end without any trophies to show for it unless they can conquer Europe in the coming months.
The Blues travel to face Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, already out of both domestic Cups and languishing in 10th in the English Premier League.
Winning the Champions League could be their best route back into the competition next season as they sit 10 points adrift of the top four in the English top flight.
But Graham Potter’s men have won just two games in their last 13 since European football shut down for the winter.
“You can’t talk about the long term because that doesn’t exist in this job,” said the Chelsea boss, of the pressure to deliver immediate results at such a big club.
“You have to acknowledge there’s a long term. But there’s a short term and medium term that is challenging for us in terms of results.
“We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.”
Potter had often spoken about the mutual understanding he has with club owner Todd Boehly that rebuilding a squad takes time.
Whether he will be afforded patience, he has had to juggle a lengthy injury list in the meantime and bed in an avalanche of January signings, while also trying to maintain harmony in a bloated squad of 32 first-team players.
He has already had tough choices to make for the rest of his side’s European campaign.
With only three new players allowed to be added to Chelsea’s Champions League squad and the arrival of eight new signings, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos and David Fofana have been left out, while Malo Gusto will spend the second half of the season back on loan at Lyon.
But the inclusions of Joao Felix, 23, Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez (both 22), should add firepower and a creative spark to a side badly lacking in a goal threat.
All three have commanded a €100 million (S$142.8 million) fee at some point in their careers.
Fernandez’s €121 million move from Benfica in January broke the British transfer record just weeks after Mudryk was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for an initial €70 million that could rise to €100 million.
Felix failed to live up to his €126 million price tag in 3½ years at Atletico Madrid but has looked lively in the early days of his loan spell either side of a three-game ban for a red card on his Premier League debut.
The Portuguese scored his first goal for the club from Fernandez’s fine cross in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham United. But Felix’s strike was just Chelsea’s third in the last seven games.
“The second half is probably more of a reflection of where we are as a group and as a team, in terms of players getting up to speed, returning from injury and players adapting to the Premier League,” said Potter, after Chelsea’s bright start at the London Stadium quickly fizzled out.
Potter is aware patience is wearing thin among a fan base who have been used to a hire-and-fire culture that reaped rewards under former owner Roman Abramovich.
A nine-game unbeaten run to start his spell in charge now seems a long time ago, with the pressure ramped up to produce results, even if the bulk of Chelsea’s spending under Boehly has been on young players for the “long term”.
Potter will head to Germany on Wednesday with Wesley Fofana, Mateo Kovacic, Denis Zakaria, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly doubtful because of injuries.
Dortmund, meanwhile, will miss Youssoufa Moukoko for several weeks after the teenage striker suffered an ankle injury.
The Germans have won six games in their last six in all competitions, and captain Jude Bellingham, 19, has urged his team to maintain their focus.
“There’s no point looking at the run,” said the England international midfielder.
“As soon as you finish one game and get the right result, you need to move on and focus on the next one.
“Six in six in all competitions, hopefully, we will be going for seven in seven.” AFP
