Chelsea have been handed a boost heading into their Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Having won just two of their last 13 games in all competitions there is hope within the fanbase that fortunes in Europe will be different.
It is the form on the continent that gave Graham Potter a kickstart to life at Chelsea but since then things have been much harder. Of his nine wins at Stamford Bride four of them came in the group stage of the competition.
He took over after the Blues were embarrassed 1-0 in their opening game by minnows Dinamo Zagreb. The pressure was ramped up after his first game, a 1-1 draw at home to RB Salzburg, but back-to-back wins against AC Milan assured Chelsea qualified for the knockout stages with one game to spare.
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This all feels a long time ago though with just three wins coming in the 14 games since then. In those matches, the Blues have lost seven and scored just eight. Compare that with Dortmund, who come into the fixture off the back of six wins in a row whilst scoring 17 in the process, and the trip to Germany looks a lot tougher than it did three months ago.
It is in Europe that Chelsea have often been at their best in the past two years though and their hopes of securing a positive first-leg result have been boosted by the news that teenage sensation Youssoufa Moukoko is set to miss the action with injury. The 18-year-old has taken up the mantle left by Erling Haaland and despite his youth has been a star.
With six goals and four assists in the league he has led the line brilliantly for Edin Terzic's side but he is yet to score since returning from Qatar. He featured in Champions League group games but didn't contribute to the goals. He then had to be substituted early on against Werder Bremen though after a kick and is now unlikely to play in either leg against Potter's side.
With the draw for the knockout ties happening before the World Cup there was an ongoing narrative surrounding Moukoko and his expiring contract. The youth sensation had yet to agree a deal with the club throughout the winter and Chelsea were one of many sides keen to snap him up on a free deal.
That has since been put to bed though after signing a new long-term deal to keep him in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, the ties will allow Chelsea to see Jude Bellingham close up, another Blues transfer target.
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