After spending 330 million euros during the January transfer market, Chelsea are still waiting for the mayonnaise to take with their new signings. It did not work again, Wednesday, on the lawn of Borussia Dortmund (0-1), during the round of 16 first leg.
The three biggest recruits from Chelsea this winter will not have changed much in the end. The Blues lost on Wednesday, February 15, on the lawn of Borussia Dortmund (0-1) in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, while in the other match of the evening, Bruges gave up at home against Benfica (0-2). Joao Félix and Mykhaïlo Mudryk, recruited at a hefty price in January by Chelsea, did not shine. Enzo Fernandez, bought 121 million euros on the last day of the transfer window, for his part was overtaken by Karim Adeyemi on the only goal of the match (63rd).
This disappointing performance by three of the seven new players who arrived at Chelsea in January speaks volumes about the current performance of the Blues. With this defeat on Wednesday, which does not condemn the London club to elimination before the second leg, Chelsea remain on a single victory in the last nine games. The London club occupies a disappointing 10th place in the Premier League and this defeat in Dortmund adds to the ambient gloom that reigns at the Blues.
Millions of euros invested, few results
After spending €330m in the January transfer market, more than the other 78 teams in La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 combined, Graham Potter is asking for time. The Chelsea coach, who arrived in September to replace a Thomas Tuchel regretted by Blues supporters, has to deal with a plethora of 32 players. A far from easy task that the English coach is struggling to manage at the moment.
“There is more pressure and expectations when you spend a lot of money, you are expected to earn“, admitted Potter in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. But to win you have to score goals, and Chelsea are struggling to do so in 2023: the Blues have scored only four times in nine games and possess the third-worst attack in Europe’s top five leagues at the start of the calendar year.If the millions ensured goalscoring, Chelsea would win the Champions League without worry this season.
At the end of the match against Borussia, the Chelsea players tried to push on the lawn of Signal Iduna Park, nothing helped. And it’s not for lack of trying, with 21 shots attempted during this lively and pleasant match. But the strikes countered by the German defenders multiplied and Emre Can saved Dortmund by pushing a ball on his line after a strike from Kalidou Koulibaly (78th). Fernandez meanwhile found the gloves of Gregor Kobel, the Borussia goalkeeper, at the very end of the match (90th + 5).
Potter will have to provide answers
“We are very excited about our new group of players, but at the same time, we know the challenges ahead and all the work ahead of us.“, assured Potter on Tuesday. The English coach certainly did not anticipate a defeat on Wednesday in Dortmund, but his speech reflects a lack of confidence. Because the level of his team is far from the expectations of supporters and new owners, who bought the club last May from Roman Abramovich for five billion euros.
The latter, represented by Todd Boehly, the chairman of Chelsea present at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday evening, appointed Potter in September to prepare for the future. The English coach could have some time to impose his mark on this team and build a long-term project with the young recruits who arrived this winter.
But how patient will the owners be, having invested more than 600 million euros in the last two transfer markets? Potter will have to provide an element of response in the Premier League in the next matches, but especially in the round of 16 return to Stamford Bridge against Borussia Dortmund on March 7.