Chelsea are celebrating being confirmed as winners of Champions League Group E.
The Blues’ place atop of the standings was guaranteed on Tuesday night, hours after their hard-fought 2-1 win over Red Bull Salzburg.
That triumph in Austria secured Chelsea’s place in the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition with a game to spare, against Dinamo Zagreb at Stamford Bridge next week.
But Graham Potter’s side knew they would also have first place in the group sealed if their victory was followed by Zagreb failing to beat AC Milan in Croatia in the late kick-off.
That game ended up being stress-free for Chelsea, with the reigning Serie A champions 1-0 up at half-time through defender Matteo Gabbia’s diving header.
Milan stepped up a notch after the interval at the Stadion Maksimir, eventually running out comfortable 4-0 winners after further efforts from a Chelsea transfer target in Rafael Leao and ex-striker Olivier Giroud, who slotted in a penalty, while there was also an own goal from Dinamo midfielder Robert Ljubicic.
Stefano Pioli’s side went second above Salzburg with that emphatic triumph and will join Chelsea in the Champions League knockout phase if they avoid defeat in a shootout against the Austrians at the San Siro next Wednesday.
By finishing top of the group, Chelsea should theoretically be handed an easier draw when the last-16 fixtures are decided on November 7. They will be at home for the second leg.
Having their fate already decided should also allow Potter to rest a number of key players for what is now a dead-rubber matchday six clash with a Zagreb side who can no longer mathematically progress, an important luxury amid a hectic pre-World Cup fixture schedule across all competitions and vital matches against the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle on the horizon before the mid-season break, after their new boss first pays a visit to former club Brighton on Saturday.
