Chelsea vs AC Milan LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Chelsea are looking for their first Champions League win of the season as they host AC Milan
A significant win for Chelsea, but from a match that was nothing like the sort of grand Champions League encounter anticipated.
Graham Potter’s first season in the competition now looks that much more forgiving, and not just because he finally got that first victory in his second game and the club’s third this season. It was how easily that 3-0 win came or the fact they already go ahead of AC Milan. The Italian champions are supposed to be Chelsea’s biggest challenge, and a potentially huge obstacle in this group given how the English club have already dropped points to Dinamo Zagreb and Salzburg.
Except, this still isn’t Milan in the manner we imagined them. And this no longer looks the Chelsea of the last few weeks. Perhaps Conor Gallagher’s late winner against Crystal Palace released something. Perhaps it gave all the training ground work extra momentum. Perhaps it was down to how Milan are trying to work out a new place in the game. Either way, Chelsea were so much better than them. The contest should have been over by half-time, but it didn’t take too long after it for that to be the case. Potter’s side were able to cruise for the last half-hour.
Follow all the action from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea take on AC Milan:
Chelsea vs AC Milan latest news
We are just under half an hour from kick-off.
In the earlier games, Leipzig are currently beating Celtic 3-1 - follow the end of that game here - and in Chelsea’s group, Salzburg are beating Dinamo Zagreb 1-0.
About five minutes or so left in both.
Champions League latest news
Before we get underway at Stamford Bridge it’s worth a look at last night’s efforts in Europe from the Premier League pair.
Liverpool saw off Rangers 2-0 thanks to Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, while Tottenham were held to a goalless draw by Eintracht Frankfurt.
Darwin Nunez didn’t get on the scoresheet but played most of the match and put in an improved showing, and says he learned plenty from his spell on the sidelines after being sent-off against Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Antonio Conte wants Spurs to get ruthless after missing a host of chances in Germany and taking only a point.
Will Chelsea eclipse either result tonight?
Graham Potter timeline at Chelsea so far
It has been an unusual time in English football of late, plus an international break interrupted domestic proceedings. Here’s what has gone on since Tuchel was given his marching orders:
9 September - Potter appointed head coach on a five-year deal
10 September - Would-be dugout debut vs Fulham called off after the death of Queen Elizabeth II
14 September - New boss’ first game ends in a 1-1 draw at home to Salzburg
18 September - Chelsea vs Liverpool also postponed
20 September - Push to appoint Christophe Freund as sporting director ends in failure
21 September - Club sack commercial director for “inappropriate messages” sent to agent
1 October - Conor Gallagher seals a late 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in Potter’s first Premier League game in charge
Champions League Group E - as it stands
Chelsea have made a pretty poor start to the campaign in Europe - that’s part of the reason Thomas Tuchel isn’t here any more of course, and Graham Potter is.
It’s still pretty congested after two games apiece, so back-to-back wins in these GW3 and 4 double headers could change much:
- AC Milan 4pts
- Dinamo Zagreb 3pts
- Salzburg 2pts
- Chelsea 1pt
Chelsea vs AC Milan latest news
And AC Milan are looking forward to tonight even with a slightly short squad. An emotional return for Olivier Giroud, of course.
Chelsea vs AC Milan latest news
Milestone match for right wing-back Reece James tonight. Strong bench for the Blues too, including Havertz, Jorginho and Pulisic.
Confirmed line-ups: Chelsea vs AC Milan team news
Confirmed line-ups are in!
Graham Potter reverts to a three-man defence as Kalidou Koulibaly returns to the side. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is handed a starting berth in midfield.
Milan are as you’d expect; 4-2-3-1 with the Tonali-Bennacer axis in the centre. No Maignan, Zlatan or Origi among others at the moment for the Rossoneri.
Chelsea: Kepa; Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Chilwell; Mount, Sterling, Aubameyang
AC Milan: Tatarusanu; Dest, Kalulu, Tomori, Ballo-Toure; Tonali, Bennacer; Krunic, De Ketelaere, Leao; Giroud
Conor Gallagher will get chance to stake World Cup claims, says Graham Potter
World Cup hopeful Conor Gallagher will get plenty of chances to impress Gareth Southgate in October, promised new Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
The midfielder earned his first England call-up after a standout campaign on loan with Palace last season but did not feature in Southgate’s most recent squad, and had played just 157 minutes across five Premier League appearances ahead of Saturday’s 2-1 victory over his former club.
Gallagher took full advantage of his 76th-minute introduction as a substitute, curling in a dramatic 90th-minute winner to hand Potter his first three Premier League points in charge of the Blues.
“We’ve got a really intense period coming up,” said Potter. “We’ve got 12 games in six and a half weeks so we need everybody. It’s impossible to play with 11 players, so Conor will get his time, he’ll get his chances, he’ll get opportunities to perform.”
More here from the boss:
Conor Gallagher will get chance to stake World Cup claims, says Graham Potter
The Chelsea midfielder did not feature in Gareth Southgate’s most recent squad but scored the winner for Chelsea against Crystal Palace
Chelsea boss Potter focused on Kante’s fitness, not new contract talks
Graham Potter has insisted he will not get involved with N’Golo Kante’s contract situation at Chelsea.
World Cup winner Kante’s current deal expires next summer, with the 31-year-old’s services in high demand.
New owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are continuing their overhaul of Chelsea’s senior squad, with the midfield understood to be a focus for January and next summer.
But new Blues boss Potter insisted he will leave any contract talks with France star Kante to Chelsea’s owners.
Kante continues to work his way back to full fitness after hamstring trouble, leaving Potter determined to focus on the midfielder’s recovery.
Chelsea boss Potter focused on Kante fitness, not new contract talks
World Cup winner Kante’s current deal expires next summer, with the 31-year-old’s services in high demand.
Chelsea ‘lead race’ to sign AC Milan star Rafael Leao
Chelsea are understood to be hoping it will be second-time lucky in their pursuit of AC Milan’s Rafael Leao. The club were among those to have informal offers for the Portugal winger rejected over summer. But the Star, which refers to reporting by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, says the Blues are currently leading the pack to sign the 23-year-old, whose contract at San Siro ends in 2024.
More rumours from today featuring Chelsea, Forest, Man United and Everton:
Chelsea ‘lead race’ to sign AC Milan star Rafael Leao
Elsewhere, ex-Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez and former Burnley manager Sean Dyche are seen as possible replacements for Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest
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