On Tuesday, Chelsea secured their place in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge. The Blues entered the match with a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Germany, but they were able to turn the tie around with a convincing performance in front of their home fans.
Chelsea started the match brightly and dominated possession in the early stages. They created several chances but were unable to find the back of the net until the 43rd minute when Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock. The England international found himself unmarked in the box and calmly slotted the ball past Dortmund goalkeeper Marwin Hitz to give Chelsea the lead.
The Blues continued to control the game in the second half and were rewarded with a penalty in the 53rd minute. Kai Havertz stepped up to take the spot-kick but hit the post with his first attempt. However, VAR intervened and ordered a retake after multiple Dortmund players were found to have encroached in the box. Havertz made no mistake with his second attempt and doubled Chelsea's lead, securing their place in the quarterfinals.
The victory will come as a huge relief to Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who has faced mounting pressure in recent weeks. Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard in January and has overseen a remarkable turnaround in the team's fortunes. Since his appointment, Chelsea has lost just two games in all competitions and has climbed up to fourth place in the Premier League.
Chelsea will now turn their attention to the quarterfinal draw, which will take place on Friday. They will be hoping to avoid some of the tournament's heavyweights such as Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City. However, they will also be confident of their chances after their impressive display against Dortmund.
Since taking over as Chelsea boss in September, Potter's best night came in Tuesday's game against Borussia Dortmund. Despite the pressure he faced before the game, Chelsea's win secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Potter was visibly more animated in the match, reacting strongly to refereeing decisions and trying to rally the crowd. While the recent investment in the club demands better results, Potter can point to the team's achievement in making it to the quarterfinals if they continue to struggle domestically.
Chelsea's lack of goals has been their biggest issue under Potter, but their perseverance paid off in Tuesday's game against Dortmund. Despite missing several chances, they managed to score twice, with Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz finding the back of the net. This was the first time since December that Chelsea had scored more than once in a game, and encouraging performances from Joao Felix and Havertz should boost their confidence in front of goal.
Dortmund faced a number of setbacks ahead of Tuesday's game, with key players injured and a late arrival to Stamford Bridge. With Julian Brandt forced off injured early in the game, the task of holding onto their first-leg advantage grew more difficult. Dortmund needed their big players to step up, but Jude Bellingham, despite being a vital player in their attack, was unable to influence the game as much as he has in the past. Although not solely to blame for Dortmund's exit, Bellingham missed a crucial chance to score and was unable to have the impact that has earned him high transfer fees ahead of a likely summer move to either the Premier League or LaLiga.
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