Tuchel’s successor under pressure
Horror debut for Chelsea’s next millionaire
1/13/2023 7:03 am
Under new owner Todd Boehly, Chelsea is throwing millions around on the transfer market. Since the start of the season, they have invested over 350 million euros in the squad. On the pitch, they give points to their opponents. On Thursday, the next million man experiences the Chelsea curse.
Horror debut for Joao Felix at FC Chelsea, team manager Graham Potter under pressure: At FC Fulham around the German goalkeeper Bernd Leno, the troubled Blues lost 1: 2 (0: 1) in the Premier League. Felix, on loan from Atlético Madrid for around eleven million euros without a purchase option on Wednesday, was immediately in the starting XI and played well, but saw the red card after a serious foul (58th).
The Portugal international found Fulham’s Kenny Tete on an open-soled tackle at knee height. Meanwhile, ex-Chelsea pro Willian (25′) and Carlos Vinicius (73′) caused the visitors’ defeat, for which defender Kalidou Koulibaly (47′) scored. The Portuguese now face a three-game ban. “It wasn’t a bad foul. I don’t think it hit the player really hard either. But I understand the red card,” said coach Potter about what was probably the decisive situation in the game: “It’s another setback, so many setbacks at the moment. He was really good and you could see his quality in the game. That’s why it’s so disappointing.”
Aubameyang before returning to Spain?
Chelsea’s situation is also not easy due to an injury to former Gladbacher Denis Zakaria. The Swiss had to leave the field with muscular problems two minutes before Felix received a red card. In the past few weeks, Raheem Sterling and ex-BVB player Christian Pulisic were injured in the 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup against Manchester City. Ten players, including Wesley Fofana and midfield boss N’Golo Kante, are currently unavailable to Chelsea manager Potter. “It never rains, it’s about to pour, as they say,” Potter said last week.
Chelsea, ten points adrift of the Champions League places in tenth, now have just one win in their last eight competitive games. Borussia Dortmund’s upcoming opponents in the premier class have lost seven of their last ten games in all competitions. Potter, who only inherited the surprisingly dismissed Thomas Tuchel last September, has been criticized for weeks. During the cup defeat against City, the Blues fans repeatedly sang about Tuchel and also the former owner Roman Abramovich.
“It’s tough,” Potter said. “I feel for the fans, the players and everyone associated with the club. It’s a difficult moment for us.” Chelsea have invested over €350m in new players since the start of the season under the new ownership consortium led by US billionaire Todd Boehly. He managed such strange transfers as that of former BVB star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was signed by Barcelona for around 12 million euros and could now face a free transfer to Barça.