Chelsea were held to a draw by RB Salzburg in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League 2022. The draw sees the Blues sit at the bottom of their group in the Champions League. This was new manager Graham Potter’s first game for Chelsea and he was left frustrated by Salzburg’s impressive defensive display. Potter couldn’t get his dream start for his new club and had to settle for a draw in his first Champions League match.
The game started with a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Salzburg and Chelsea fans observed a moment of silence for the world’s longest reigning monarch at the beginning of the match. The Chelsea fans also paid a tribute to their ex-manager Thomas Tuchel. The fans showed their support and appreciation for the manager who won them the Champions League with minute-long applause in the 21st minute. Thomas Tuchel’s last game in charge of Chelsea was the first Champions League match of the season against Dinamo Zagreb. The game had a lot of positives as well. Particularly the form of Reece James and Mateo Kovacic who dominated the play at Stamford Bridge
Mason Mount looked sharp as well. He put a brilliant through ball for Aubameyang only for the ex-Arsenal captain to mess up his chances thanks to a brilliant play by the Salzburg defense. On the other hand, Raheem Sterling was magnificent for Chelsea. His incisive cuts into the penalty area and good runs bore fruit. Sterling opened the scoring for Chelsea with a magnificent shot that curled into the top corner. With this goal, Raheem Sterling becomes the first player to score for three clubs in the Champions League. He has scored goals with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City in the Champions League.
Not a dream start for Chelsea’s manager as Salzburg maintain their composure
Chelsea looked too comfortable with their lead. They failed to build up on Sterling’s first goal for Chelsea. Consequently, they were punished for this by the compact Rb Salzburg. A mistake by Azpilicueta saw Noah Okafor net the equalizer for Salzburg. The Blues tried their hardest to get back into the match but their effort was foiled by some brilliant defending by RB Salzburg. Chelsea looked like a much better team under Potter. However, the ghosts of the past still haunt Stamford Bridge. Chelsea still lacks cutting edge in the final third and they still make crucial mistakes in the defense. However, it must be said that this was Potter’s first match as The Blues manager. If the early signs are to be believed then there is no doubt that the Blues will improve further given proper time and patience.
