Twice within 12 months under two different managers Chelsea have now comprehensively defeated Italian opposition in the Champions League. The Blues' 3-0 win over AC Milan no doubt has felt like a real launchpad for Graham Potter's tenure as Chelsea's head coach. Players old and new made an impression, with Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang landing on the scoresheet.
However, much like Chelsea's 2021/22 season win over Juventus, the Blues have been left with a tinge of sadness. In the west London side's win over the Old Lady last term, Ben Chilwell picked up an ACL injury that ended a very impressive run of games from the former Leicester man and all but ended his season.
Whether Wesley Fofana being forced off in the first half of Chelsea's win is quite as severe remains to be seen, but speculation initially highlights the potential of an ACL issue after the Frenchman stood caught in the ground as he challenged for the ball. His attempt to continue to play on may provide some reassurance that it isn't not as serious, but it was clear that following the match, Potter was concerned.
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Chelsea's head coach said: "We don't know yet. That's the one disappointing thing about the evening. We need to scan and keep our fingers crossed. I wouldn't want to speculate on it now, but we're concerned, and we need to wait for tomorrow, get it scanned and hope for the best. It is what it is. These things happen. He's a young guy, a strong guy. We'll help him, we'll support him, but at the moment, not too much to report."
The suggestion is Fofana could be out for four to six weeks and while often that would bring relief given the potential prognosis, Chelsea's next 28 days will certainly be busy. The Blues have eight matches in that period and 11 in all ahead of the World Cup. It's not unthinkable that Fofana may not play until after the international competition.
The last time the fixture list was so jam-packed was in December 2021, in the aftermath of Chilwell's injury. Thomas Tuchel was left to rely on Marcos Alonso throughout that period and ultimately for the remainder of the season, despite Kenedy's return to the club. It saw deliberations throughout the transfer window, players utilised out of position and generally an unsatisfactory method in dealing with Chilwell's absence. Chelsea's form suffered through December and January. Potter cannot allow the same drop at such a pivotal moment in the season.
Fofana may not have quite found his best form in a Chelsea shirt to make his absence so keenly felt, but the fact he has been present in a back four and three alongside Thiago Silva since the return from the international break, perhaps highlights the significance of his role going forwards.
Fortunately for Potter, he does have options to choose from in replacing the 21-year-old. On Wednesday night, Trevoh Chalobah stepped up to the plate, having made just one start all season. His profile is perhaps most similar to Fofana, with both height and speed to rely upon. The Cobham product's outing against AC Milan brought his first minutes under Potter, so it remains to be seen how the English coach both rates and utilises Chalobah moving forwards.
Cesar Azpilicueta remains an option, having started ahead of Fofana in Potter's first match, but may be the most dissimilar and almost certainly will not be used when the 48-year-old opts for two central defenders. Kalidou Koulibaly could partner Silva but was already present in the back three.
The next month will likely see Potter still investigating who fits into his strongest team, but the indications were that Fofana would be part of that set-up. Rotation will still be key, but it adds a complication to Potter's plans. Chalobah's comments following the game sum up his position.
The defender said: "This is it, playing at a big club like Chelsea, you've got to be ready. If you are not playing, you need to know what you need to do better. It starts in training. I've been ready for a couple of games now, and I got my chance, and hopefully, I can take it. I felt good stepping on the pitch today. It has been a long time, but it felt good, and I can't wait for the next game.
"We've been working behind the scenes a lot on things people don't see. We are building a solid team, and the manager wants us to have that connection, and I think we had that [against Milan]."
In the weeks to come, it could prove tempting to work around Fofana's absence with second-choice formations or out-of-position players. The likes of Reece James proved once again against Milan he should not be stifled by being moved to the centre, and the emphasis on making a connection requires consistency.
Potter must find that consistency without allowing Chelsea's level to drop.
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