Graham Potter explains real reason Chelsea sacking stung so hard

Graham Potter has opened up about his biggest disappointment during his tenure at Chelsea - missing the Real Madrid games.

The former Brighton boss earned acclaim for leading the Seagulls into the Champions League spots, before his switch to Stamford Bridge in September 2022. After joining, the 49-year-old inherited a Chelsea side in transition with new signings needing to settle in, reports the Mirror.

Despite a promising start, going unbeaten in his first nine matches, Potter's Chelsea only managed to secure 28 points from 22 league games. His time at the club was cut short before he could lead them in the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid - a prospect that excited him.

“I can’t lie, of course, it mattered to me – it’s Real Madrid in the last eight of the Champions League,” Potter told The Telegraph. “It was like, ‘what a game’. We actually felt we could do something. So that was disappointing.”

Following a disappointing series of games against Real Madrid and an unimpressive run in the league, Frank Lampard faced a rough start during his second tenure as Chelsea manager. The team was positioned 11th when Potter was let go, only to slide further down to 12th at season's end - securing just one win from their final nine matches.

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Two years on, Chelsea maintained their high-volume transfer policy, yet it appears that current boss Enzo Maresca has found some rhythm by trimming his squad.

Meanwhile, ex-Chelsea manager Graham Potter has been reflective during his break from management after his departure from Stamford Bridge. The Englishman has acknowledged the experience he gained there but also suggested broader issues were also at play.

"I take responsibility for the results," Potter said. "I've never said I've ever been perfect and you live and you learn, and you are grateful for the opportunity and grateful for the experience you had there. But there's probably a context that has appeared.

"The easy solution is Chelsea aren't winning, so it must be the coach who has never worked at this level before, he's the problem. That might not be 100 per cent wrong, but it's not 100 per cent right."