Chelsea top group with comfortable win at 10 man Milan

Looking to build on a 3-0 win over the Italians last week, Chelsea's task in Milan's famous old stadium was made all the more navigable after home defender Fikayo Tomori was sent off against his former club when conceding a 17th-minute penalty.

Jorginho converted from the spot after Milan's protests had calmed down, before striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for the third successive match in all competitions to double Chelsea's lead in the 34th minute.

With the numerical disadvantage, chances were at a premium for Milan in the second half, full-back Sergino Dest wasting the best of them by blazing over from a good position.

Chelsea remained mostly untroubled though, with the victory moving them to seven points from four matches, a point ahead of RB Salzburg and three in front of Milan and Dinamo Zagreb.

“To come here and win is absolutely not straightforward,” Chelsea coach Graham Potter said after the match.

“The penalty, of course, and the red card, changes the complexion of the game. We still have to make the ten men count, which I think we did quite well. So, overall, we’re delighted with the three points; delighted with the clean sheet. And to score two goals is good.”

Qualification for the knockout stages looked like it may be a tall order for Chelsea after a shock defeat in their group opener at Dinamo Zagreb was followed by a disappointing home draw with Salzburg.

But victory over seven-time European Cup winners and Serie A champions Milan last week brought Chelsea right back into it -- setting things up nicely for the return match in Italy.

England international Tomori's foul on Mason Mount, however, effectively ended the match as a contest.

Tomori, who joined Milan from Chelsea in 2021, could not believe the referee showed him a straight red card, but the decision stood after a VAR review, as the 24-year-old became the first English player to get sent off in a Champions League game against an English side.

“I don’t believe it was the referee’s best evening tonight. That’s without a doubt," Milan coach Stefano Pioli told a post-match news conference.