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Thomas Tuchel’s new side haven’t been at their best in the Premier League, but there was nothing wrong with their fall campaign in the UEFA Champions League.
UEFA.tv: group stage review
Campaign so far
Group E winners: W4 D2 L0 F14 A2
Best striker: Olivier Giroud (5)
20/10: Chelsea 0-0 Sevilla
28/10: Krasnodar 0-4 Chelsea (Hudson-Odoi 37, Werner 76pen, Ziyech 79, Pulišić 90)
04/11: Chelsea 3-0 Rennes (Werner 10pen 41pen, Abraham 50)
11/24: Rennes 1-2 Chelsea (Hudson-Odoi 22, Giroud 90 + 1)
02/12: Seville 0-4 Chelsea (Giroud 8 54 74 83pen)
08/12: Chelsea 1-1 Krasnodar (Jorginho 28pen)
Their campaign in ten words: Impressive progress and growing maturity thanks to a solid defensive platform.
The UEFA.com journalist’s point of view
Chelsea’s group success was founded on a solid back line – no one has gone past their 355 minutes since the tournament started without conceding – and overall they have given their chances. It should be a more balanced side than last season, with quality and depth in all positions; and with Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech still settling in, there is surely more to come.
Jon Phipps, Chelsea reporter
What we have learned
After a major recruiting campaign last summer, there was always the risk that this most unpredictable season could be fragile for Chelsea. Premier League results have been up and down, leading to the sacking of boss Frank Lampard, but West Londoners have appeared more stable in Europe.
Chelsea certainly have some exciting young players – new goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, in particular, has drawn attention – while Olivier Giroud, 34, continues to stand out among them.
Key statistics
• Chelsea are one of four teams to have made it through the unbeaten group stage, along with Bayern, Lazio and Manchester City. These six unbeaten matches (W4 D2) put them on their longest undefeated streak in the UEFA Champions League since ending a nine-game streak (W5 D4) in September 2015.
• Giroud’s four goals in Sevilla gave the hosts their biggest European defeat at home; they also made the Frenchman (at 34 years and 63 days old) the oldest treble scorer in UEFA Champions League history, and the oldest in the European Cup since Ferenc Puskás, 38, started Feyenoord sacked three times for Real Madrid in September 1965..
• The Sevilla victory was only Chelsea’s second success in their last 12 games against the Spanish opposition; they now face Atlético Madrid in the round of 16.
Who is in charge?
The season and a half of the big club Lampard at the head of the management ended on January 25, resulting in the appointment of Thomas Tuchel, himself fresh out of the hot seat in Paris. Will a more experienced coach perform better with an expensive assembled team?
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