Chelsea boss Graham Potter says that the match against AC Milan will be different to the one at Stamford Bridge and says the Rossoneri will take advantage of the atmosphere at San Siro.
Potter gave his press conference (transcribed by Milan News) on Monday evening ahead of the match that takes place on Tuesday and he refused to give any relevance to the 3-0 win that Chelsea enjoyed when the two teams met at Stamford Bridge last week.
He stressed that given the atmosphere that will be created at San Siro by the Milan fans, it will be a very different game to the one a week ago at Stamford Bridge.
“It will be even more special. Here the atmosphere is different and the match is different. Milan will try to take advantage of playing at home. They are two very big clubs and it will be a good match,” Potter said.
He also spoke specifically about Milan forward Rafael Leao, who has regularly been linked with a move to Chelsea both before and during Potter’s tenure.
He has a lot of admiration for the Portuguese star, saying: “Leao is an excellent Milan player. He will be able to contribute.”
Former Milan defender Thiago Silva is still playing at the top level with Chelsea and when asked how long he can stay there, Potter said: “I can’t say. I can definitely confirm the very high level at which Thiago plays: an incredible person with crazy qualities and skills. I’m here to help him and to entertain him. He will decide on his future.”
Ziyech’s absence
“He’s got a sore throat, he’s not well and can’t be used.”
Frustration of Kante not recovering
“For us it’s not ideal but we can only wait and see.”
What do you make of the withdrawal of Brighton’s Mwepu due to heart problems?
“The situation is terrible but thankfully he is fine. For a 24-year-old not to be a footballer anymore and having to retire is frustrating. I wrote him a message and wish him the best.”
Can you tell us about the current busy period, with little time for training?
“It’s a very busy period but we do our best to make the most of every moment apart from the one we have on the pitch. We try to understand each other, I try to get to know the players better. We progress by watching videos and trying to talk: I try to understand the mood of my players and create a harmony that already exists.”
How is Thiago Silva, who missed the last match and returns to the San Siro?
“He’s definitely better, he’s a leader and a great professional and working with him.”
How are the injured players?
“They are all available apart from the three already mentioned. It’s useful to have some turnover: tomorrow will be a very demanding game also from a physical point of view.”
You have won three times in a row, how much does that affect your confidence?
“Winning always helps: it’s nice to talk about motivation and ideas, but winning helps a lot. Hopefully we’ll continue like this.”
Will you pick the same attack?
“I can’t say what formation I will take the field with. We have great options: it will be a tough game and we will face a team like AC Milan who are very flexible in the way they play in attack and defence.”
