Chelsea head coach Graham Potter paid plenty of compliments to AC Milan and also to Rafael Leao in view of tomorrow’s Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge.
Milan will face off against Chelsea for the first time in 23 years tomorrow night aiming to maintain or potentially pad their three-point gap to the Premier League side, with Stefano Pioli’s men having taken four points from the opening two group games against Red Bull Salzburg (away) and Dinamo Zagreb (home).
It has been all change for the opponents tomorrow though as they sacked Thomas Tuchel last month and hired Potter, who won his first game on Saturday thanks to Conor Gallagher’s last-minute strike against Crystal Palace. They are, however, stuck on one point in the Champions League so a win is a priority tomorrow.
Potter spoke live from the Stamford Bridge press room on the even of the game in west London and he was asked about a number of topics from his opinions on Milan and Leao to the injury situation at present, with MilanNews relaying his comments.
On trying to win at home: “We play against a different team, a phenomenal team, every match is different from the one before. We have to try to get points, it’s important to win home games but we play against one of the best teams, it must be a good atmosphere at the stadium, we are really excited.”
Will Edouard Mendy be able to return to the squad? “Mendy has been training for days, he will be called up. We need competition in every role. He had some pain in his side and others had problems, but they all trained and I can say that they are fine even if they are not at their best.”
On the project at Chelsea: “The owners are very ambitious, they are trying to grow the team and take the club as high as possible.”
On Nkunku: “I’m not talking about players from other clubs.”
On Kante: “My priority is to bring him to his maximum, we don’t have many players like him in world football, and that’s my priority.”
On Cristiano Ronaldo at Chelsea: “You can ask all day about the other players, but I’m not talking about them. I’m only talking about our players.”
On Koulibaly: “I was impressed by him, by his personality. He understands that he had to wait a while to play. He trains well, he comes from a team where he was very confident but things in the Premier League are different. Incredible player.”
What have you learned from the first Champions League match? “There is a difference between playing at home and away, it was a bit strange period, but I enjoyed it. We have to play to the maximum otherwise it becomes difficult.”
What do you think of Leao? “I am really surprised in a positive way by what he has done, he makes a difference in attack with goals and assists, congratulations, he is a top player. Then what he will be in the future I don’t know but he is playing really well with Milan. He has the skills and the talent of being able to play well in the Premier League too.”
On Milan and Giroud: “They have an idea of how to attack and defend, they play really well. Giroud knows him well here, he uses his strength and his qualities. I want to play this game and we want to try to get the best result.”
