Chelsea vs Red Bull Salzburg, Champions League live: score and latest updates

Here we go then, the Graham Potter era begins at Stamford Bridge. As those of you who followed his pre-match comments will know, tonight’s game against Red Bull Salzburg is the first Champions League match he has ever attended in any capacity. 

Not that this move is a hasty promotion. There is enough substance to Potter’s work at Ostersunds, Swansea and Brighton – where he transformed the style of play, slowly improved results, and developed players who were sold for big profits – to suggest he is not merely flavour of the month. Although Thomas Tuchel’s sacking came as a surprise to many, the atmosphere at the club was not right from pre-season and Chelsea fans grew frustrated with their slightly rigid and repetitive attacking patterns. As well as Potter wanting to start on a positive note, Chelsea could do with three points in the group after losing their opener at Dinamo Zagreb. 

The club’s new owner Todd Boehly has also been in the headlines, talking up the possibility of importing ideas from American sports such as a North vs South ‘All-Star’ game and play-offs to decide relegation. More encouraging for Chelsea fans were his references to the Manchester City and Red Bull models, which suggests he wants a data-led, value-seeking approach (their summer business did not always look aligned with this philosophy). Potter’s first task is surely to get his team attacking with greater fluency. 

“It sounds strange, but I approach it as I’ve approached every job and every football club with the greatest respect for every environment, every context,” Potter said.

“I know that this is a different environment, but we’re still working with people. Then it’s about understanding them, treating them with respect, getting to know them.

“There’s all sorts of narratives out there, that top players are this and top players are that, but in my experience people are quite complicated.

“People have egos people, have different things that challenge and that’s the fascinating thing about this job.”

Full team news on the way shortly.