Graham Potter has urged Chelsea to focus on beating Borussia Dortmund before considering talk of a trophyless season.
The Blues head to Germany this week for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, in a competition they last won in 2021.
On a run of three draws, Potter has warned his side to take their remaining European run game by game.
He said: “In a knockout competition anything can happen. That’s the thing. It’s two games. I don’t think it’s valuable for us to look past Dortmund.
“We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well. We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.
“Obviously it’s a tough match against a high-quality opponent. But at the same time, our team has got some good players.”
He added: “[This squad] has won the Champions League. They’ve experienced it. They’ll want to fight for the game, that’s for sure, and that’s exciting for us.”
If Chelsea lose, however, they will face talk of a trophyless season with qualification for next season’s Champions League through a top-four finish looking less likely by the week. That’s despite an exciting pair of transfer windows where the Blues spent a world record £600million on 16 players.
Although those predominantly younger players are tipped to come good in the coming years, Potter acknowledges that he needs to improve his team in the short-term to stop the season from drifting away.
“You can’t talk about the long-term because that doesn’t exist in this job,” he added. “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.
“The experienced players know what we’ve been through. You’re talking about some top professionals who know football. While people on the outside may have an opinion on things, these guys have been around and know the challenges we’ve faced.
“They know the situation the club has been in and what’s happened. So then it’s about helping them get through it, the inevitable frustration because they want to win. We all do and the supporters do. That’s where it’s been challenging.”
