Chelsea had a much easier night than they might have expected in Milan, thanks to a contentious refereeing decision that dominated the narrative at San Siro.
Fikayo Tomori, a former Chelsea defender, was dismissed from the game after only 18 minutes for bringing down Mason Mount while he was through on goal. The referee appeared to disregard the double jeopardy rule when he gave Tomori a red card and also awarded a penalty.
The former Chelsea academy alumnus was given a straight red for tripping Mason Mount, who was losing a sprint finish into the penalty area to one of his closest friends at the time.
Milan was incensed by the choice, and after venting their frustration on German referee Daniel Siebert, they turned on Chelsea.
Olivier Giroud, a former Blues striker, confronted Mount, who rebounded as the imposing Reece James, a young man it’s best to stay on the right side of even if you’re a 6’4″ battle-hardened Frenchman.
Despite a fierce atmosphere and a sold-out crowd, the result was a fourth straight victory for new Chelsea manager Graham Potter and the team’s first at this magnificent stadium in northern Italy.
Even though Milan played against a team that was suddenly mean, lean, and now a respectable fighting machine for 72 minutes, the performance shouldn’t be undervalued.
Jorginho, the team’s de facto captain, calmly pumped home the penalty kick with his customary little skip in the run-up to get his team going. He refused to be blinded by the laser pens being shone in his face.
Over the course of more than 15 years, Tomori and Mount collectively represented Chelsea.
