Milan – Chelsea completed the double over AC Milan to finish atop Champions League Group E with a 2-0 victory at San Siro on Tuesday. The hosts were reduced to 10 men for the majority of the contest.
Looking to improve on last week’s 3-0 victory over the Italians, Chelsea’s work at Milan’s famed old stadium was made easier when Fikayo Tomori was sent off in the 17th minute for conceding a penalty against his former team.
After Milan’s objections had subsided, Jorginho converted from the penalty spot before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for the third consecutive match in all competitions to extend Chelsea’s lead in the 34th minute.
Milan had few opportunities in the second half due to its numerical disadvantage, and fullback Sergino Dest wasted the finest of them by missing from a promising position.
The victory moved Chelsea to seven points after four matches, one point clear of RB Salzburg and three in front of Milan and Dinamo Zagreb. Chelsea were mostly untroubled, however.
“It’s not simple to come here and win,” Chelsea coach Graham Potter told BT Sport. “The credit goes to the players. They were excellent.
“We were fortunate in that the opposition was reduced to ten men. It’s fantastic that the penalty was awarded and that Jorginho scored. It was a smart choice to lead up to it. What it is, it is. Occasionally they target you. The overall performance was satisfactory.”
After a shocking loss in their group opener at Dinamo Zagreb and a disappointing draw at home against Salzburg, it appeared as though it would be difficult for Chelsea to go to the knockout rounds.
Last week’s triumph over seven-time European Cup champions and Serie A champions Milan pulled Chelsea back into contention, setting the stage for the return encounter in Italy.
A foul committed by the England international Tomori on Mason Mount effectively ended the match.
Tomori, who moved to Milan from Chelsea in 2021, could not believe the referee had shown him a straight red card, but the verdict remained following a VAR review, as the 24-year-old became the first English player to be sent out in a Champions League match against an English side.
Stefano Pioli, coach of Milan, told Mediaset that the penalty and red card altered everything. “Chelsea was not required to play with a numerical advantage.
“I’m not interested in reviewing the episode, as it seems too clear. I decline to remark. Although I don’t speak English very well, I assume the referee understood what I said “.
Jorginho confidently converted the penalty kick, and Mount was heavily involved in the second goal, laying the ball off for Aubameyang to continue his superb scoring run since joining Chelsea from Barcelona last month.
Conor Gallagher could have added a third goal early in the second half before missing another chance later in the half, but it hardly mattered as Chelsea cruised to a comfortable victory.
Since replacing Thomas Tuchel a month ago, new coach Potter has recorded four victories out of five in all competitions.
Reuters