"Everything Mason Mount has done in the last two years confirms that first impression. This kid can be the symbol of Chelsea for the next ten years in the same way as John Terry did in his prime."
Those were the words of Jamie Carragher just less than 12 months ago when speaking about Chelsea star Mason Mount to the Telegraph. To tip someone to become the "symbol" of a club the size of Chelsea is a bold call, but there is more than enough of an argument to suggest the former Liverpool defender will be proven right.
When Mount stepped out onto the pitch against Real Madrid on a wet Wednesday evening in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg, he did so for the 150th time in a Chelsea shirt. Since making his Blues debut in August 2019, the English playmaker has come on leaps and bounds under first Frank Lampard and now Thomas Tuchel.
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"Every manager that works with Mason will say the same. Incredibly talented boy, with an incredible work ethic," Lampard said last summer. "There's something about him that's so complete to manage."
Lampard's right. Mount does provoke that kind of reaction from every manager he's played under. "Amazing. Such a nice guy, such a competitive guy, such a lot of talent," Tuchel said on Mount.
"He cares for Chelsea 100 per cent and gives 100 per cent every time he plays. This is the basis for a big development. I'm very, very happy to have him around, and I will not stop pushing him, and I will not stop guiding him, and I will not stop trusting him."
These words are all well and good, but there is still plenty of criticism aimed towards Mount on social media. Against Real Madrid, though, he had the chance to prove his doubters wrong on the biggest stage.
Mount was being used on the right-hand side, with Kai Havertz in the centre and Christian Pulisic on the opposite flank. Less than 30 seconds into the match, Mount was unleashed on the right flank and put in a dangerous cross into the area, but it wasn't met by any of his Chelsea teammates.
He also showcased his off-the-ball abilities, which Tuchel and Lampard have previously alluded to when he dispossessed Toni Kroos on the halfway line after Mount tracked back. However, as the first-half went on and the visitors grew into the game, Mount's contribution was reduced.
Chelsea's game, overall, was hugely impacted by Karim Benzema's quick-fire double, and their attacking players were largely ineffective for the remainder of the first-half. For Mount, he was arguably the most passive out of the Blues' attackers in the opening 45 minutes.
He was struggling to produce a repeat of last season's performance against Real Madrid, where he was one of the brightest players on the pitch as Chelsea won 2-0 in the second-leg of the semi-final tie. There was a change of shape for the Blues in the second-half, with Tuchel bringing Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech on and moving to a back four.
Mount remained on the right-hand side, where Chelsea looked to double up on Ferland Mendy at times, with Ziyech joining his teammate. They went into the second period with momentum, but that was quickly removed when Benzema scored his hat-trick.
Mount moved onto the left when Romelu Lukaku was brought on just after the hour-mark, with Havertz going into the middle and Ziyech on the right. However, a change of position for Mount did not see him grow into the game at all, with Chelsea now having it all to do in the second-leg next week.
So, it was another disappointing day at the office for Mount, but it was for the whole Chelsea side. Even though he isn't the most popular figure on social media at the moment, he remains one of the brightest talents in English football. He made his 150th Chelsea performance on the night, and it would not shock you at all if he went on to double that tally in the future.
