It's a quirk of fate that Graham Potter's first match in charge of Chelsea is likely to come in the Champions League. It's a competition the 47-year-old has never coached in during his career – and one that will forever be synonymous with Thomas Tuchel's reign given the triumph in Porto in 2021.
As things stand, Red Bull Salzburg will visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening in what is the second group-stage game of Chelsea's campaign. The first proved Tuchel's last match at the helm: a disappointing and frustrating 1-0 defeat to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb earlier this week.
Following the cancellation of this weekend's Premier League fixtures following the death of The Queen, Potter, who was officially named as Tuchel's replacement yesterday (Thursday), will have an unexpected window of four days to prepare his players on the training pitches at Cobham for the visit of Salzburg.
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That will only benefit a Chelsea side that have struggled in the early weeks of the campaign. After six Premier League games, the Blues sit sixth in the table. They are, somewhat ironically, three points behind Brighton and Hove Albion, the team that Potter left in order to replace Tuchel.
It's hoped in the weeks and months ahead that Potter will be able to replicate the relative success he achieved at the Amex Stadium. His ability to improve players through shrewd coaching is understood to be hugely valued by new Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, as was the style of football implemented with players viewed as inferior to those at Stamford Bridge.
There is an appreciation that Potter will require some time to ingrain his methods; that signings were also made late in the transfer window has resulted in a belief among senior figures at the club that Chelsea will become a stronger force during the second half of the campaign.
The minimum aim for the season remains the same as it was under Tuchel: a top-four finish in the Premier League. That brings with it Champions League football for the 2023/24 campaign and a huge revenue boost too. There will be pressure on Potter to deliver that this term.
However, if Chelsea were to miss out on a top-four finish, it's understood that wouldn't instantly bring an end to the Potter project. One source explained the new ownership group is prepared to "stick through" difficult moments if they believe in their long-term plan. So Potter will get time, something that was rarely given under Roman Abramovich.
The hope, of course, is those don't difficult moments don't arrive, that Potter has a galvanising effect on the Chelsea squad in the weeks ahead and that the Blues move up the Premier League table. But before then comes the Champions League, the visit of Salzburg, and Potter's own journey through the very top-level of the European game.
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