WHAT had threatened to be the end of the road now promises to be the start of something good for Graham Potter.
The Chelsea manager was transformed into an unlikely cheerleader on a night when the energy surged around Stamford Bridge and the Blues advanced into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Potter might not have survived defeat by Borussia Dortmund, and he appeared determined to enjoy what could have been his first and last Champions League knock-out.
It was arguably the best performance of his six-month reign, and certainly the most convincing since the World Cup break, as Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz struck to defeat the Bundesliga form horses.
And this night felt like a potential game-changer for Potter, whose side had achieved only their second win in 12 matches against Leeds on Saturday.
There was something about the noise of the crowd, the zip of Chelsea’s play and the sight of Potter wheeling his arms to whip up the crowd in The Shed, that felt like an electrical circuit connecting and sparking into life.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
Chelsea were bang at it – subtle skills at a high tempo and defensive steel when it was needed as well.
It helps when Chelsea’s first-choice full-backs are fit and firing – and Ben Chilwell was particularly good here.
Sterling’s return from injury has been hugely beneficial too. The England winger hammered his first goal since New Year’s Day to level the tie before Havertz clinched it with a twice-taken penalty soon after half-time.
Owner Todd Boehly had been determined to stick by the man he poached from Brighton in September but his patience had been running thin until this week.
Most read in Football
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
Now Potter has bought himself some time to edge his side up from mid-table and to relish some more European nights.
There was an unfamiliar buzz about the Bridge before kick-off – pyros, ultras, throngs around the team buses, which caused a ten-minute delay to kick-off
The manager hadn’t seemed to know his best team, the strikers couldn’t score and the visitors had won 10 games in a row – but it was the Champions League and some struggling Chelsea teams had excelled here in the past.
Before kick-off, the boys in The Shed unfurled a huge banner showing a montage of Chelsea legends, with Potter’s European Cup-winning predecessor Thomas Tuchel prominent.
Potter stuck with his 3-4-3 formation, though he made the surprise addition of Marc Cucurella to his starting line-up.
And it was Cucurella who won possession high up the field and fed Sterling whose through-ball sent Joao Felix wriggling through, only for Alexander Meyer to save at his feet.
Potter was unusually animated from the off – but from the corner Kalidou Koulibaly skewed his header wide.
Soon, Jude Bellingham lost the ball, Felix lofted a delicious pass to release Havertz, whose shot clattered into the side-netting.
Potter had demanded a wall of noise and he was getting a decent response, although the travelling German fans were giving it plenty of oompah too.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was called into action when he stretched to push wide a curling 25-yard free-kick from Marco Reus.
Soon though, Havertz was desperately close to levelling the aggregate score.
A Reece James centre was cleared to Chelsea’s German forward who whistled a shot against the inside the post.
Chelsea were playing some neat stuff – Havertz going through his Dimitar Berbatov routines, Felix playing with a feline grace, manipulating the ball like a kitten pawing at string.
Havertz had the ball in the net with a lovely finish – but it was clear that Sterling, who’d had the initial shot from a gorgeous Felix pass, had been offside.
Dortmund were penned back now – Felix had a shot blocked, Chilwell sliced one wide, then the deserved breakthrough.
It was a strange build-up but an emphatic finish. Chilwell evaded a wild attempted body charge to square it for Sterling, who duffed his original attempt a shot, won a tackle, then laced it into the roof of the net.
The Bridge erupted. Potter went potty. Chelsea were level and absolutely in the ascendancy.
And straight after the restart, Chelsea had a penalty. Chilwell attempted a cross and full-back Marius Wolf handled as he turned away from the ball, a Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Ref Danny Makkelie was sent to his monitor by the VAR and pointed to the spot.
Havertz shuffled in his run-up and lamped his spot-kick at the upright but VAR came to Chelsea’s aid again, spotting encroachment by a couple of Dortmund players.
The Bridge was a bundle of nerves now, Potter averting his gaze but Havertz, a man ought to play in silk pyjamas and a smoking jacket, was as languid as you like, pinging it into the same corner he had just narrowly missed.
Havertz then started cheerleading the Matthew Harding Stand but Dortmund discovered some bite and verve.
Bellingham shot wide from close range when he really ought to have scored and Wolf whistled in a shot which Kepa was equal to.
This lot weren’t used to losing and they attacked with intent.
Read More on The Sun
On a Chelsea break, Sterling squared for sub Conor Gallagher to score but again Sterling was flagged offside.
It didn’t matter. The hosts had done enough. Now Potter can breathe and Chelsea can dream.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
