Former Brighton boss Graham Potter says life at Chelsea is made easy when his players can score high quality goals. Stunning efforts from Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz sealed a 2-1 win in at RB Salzburg in their Champions League group encounter in testing conditions and booked a last-16 spot. Croatian midfielder Kovacic found the top corner with a first-time effort in the first half and after Junior Adamu had levelled for the Austrians, German attacker Havertz won the game in fine style by curling a sublime shot in off the post.
Graham Potter said: “It is amazing, top corner, it makes my job a lot easier when they can do that, ahead of his returning to Brighton with his new club for a Premier League fixture this weekend. Great for Kai, I’m really pleased, he has been fighting and trying his best, so to score that and help us win, fantastic.”
The goals were worthy of the win and Potter was pleased to see his side stop a 40-game unbeaten home record for Salzburg.
Graham Potter added: “I am delighted. It was a fantastic performance, I thought the players showed real courage here because the atmosphere, they are so intense. We were under pressure but I thought we controlled it well, we attacked well, created some chances. I was a bit disappointed to be only 1-0 half-time – one action from them, which can happen at this level – but we responded really well and a great goal from Kai and overall we deserved it. It was hard work but it is going to be at this level, that is how it is, away from home in the Champions League is so complicated, with the crowd and their team and the quality they have. Overall we played well, delighted for the players. They were fantastic.”
Kovacic did leave the game early after suffering a calf issue,
Graham Potter added: “He is feeling his calf a little bit, it is a heavy pitch. He was feeling a little bit of tightness, hopefully it’s not too bad. It is just how it is at this point of the season.”
Chelsea are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions under Potter, with six wins and three draws, and will arrive at the Amex at the weekend sitting in fifth place, six points above ninth-placed Albion.
