Graham Potter turns the air blue as he insists it’s not his personality but winning that counts

Graham Potter insisted it’s winning and not how the manager behaves that matters after he was handed a Champions League head-to-head with mild-mannered teammate Carlo Ancelotti.

Hours after expressing their desire to conquer Europe with an expletive-ridden statement, Chelsea and Potter paired up to take on champions Real Madrid for the third successive season in next month’s quarter-finals.

Chelsea could face Manchester City in the semi-finals, a repeat of the 2021 final in Porto, won by the Blues, if Pep Guardiola’s side can overcome his former club Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

At a hospitality event for Chelsea members on Thursday night, Potter said onstage in a clip that went viral: “We’ll try to beat Everton (in the Premier League today), take the (Premier League) draw of Champions) and then we will try”. to win the damn Champions League.’

After the draw in Nyon on Friday, Potter said with a smile: ‘I said we’d try to *whistle* to win the Champions League! That is the same for the other seven clubs. They will also say that they could lose in the quarter-finals because that is the nature of the Champions League. We will focus on Madrid when we get there. At the moment, it is Everton.

Chelsea and Potter were later paired up to meet Carlo Ancelotti’s champions Real Madrid.

“The feeling is one of emotion, but I prefer to talk about Everton because that is the next game. Other things are very far away.

Having questioned his low-key approach and compared to the more outspoken and provocative Chelsea managers of the past, Potter’s onstage rallying cry was well received by supporters.

However, when asked about Ancelotti and his calm demeanor, Potter said: “I can’t be bothered to talk about how people think you should be.” Carlo Ancelotti should be him, Pep Guardiola should be him, Jurgen Klopp should be him and I should be me. I don’t care what you think my response to that is.

‘If you win you can be who you want to be and if you lose someone wants someone different. You just have to be yourself. If you try to act, the situation discovers you. Carlo has been himself throughout his career and has done extremely well.

Do not know him. I played against him when he was Everton manager. He is a gentleman. What he has accomplished in his career has been amazing.

Potter admitted he was surprised to see Mason Mount named in Gareth Southgate’s last England squad.

The midfielder was selected only for Potter to confirm 24 hours later that he would not be fit for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers next week against Italy and Ukraine. ‘I’m not aware of any setbacks for Mount. He has never been available that I know of,’ Potter said.

‘Yes, I was surprised to see him named. As a club we will seek clarity on why it was. He needed some time for his injury to settle down, which pretty much ruled him out of England. Whether they needed a bit of time to verify that, I don’t know.

Chelsea could face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the semifinals.

In a clip that went viral, Potter said: “We’ll try to win the fucking Champions League.”

N’Golo Kante could return to Chelsea today against Everton after a long-term injury.

City and Bayern last met in the Champions League group stage in 2014. Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann said: “If you win the title, no one can accuse you of being lucky by the draw.” It was Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, then it would be Manchester City, then Real or Chelsea and then a Portuguese or Italian team in the final.

“It would be a win that would have great value, great mentality and quality.”

AC Milan drew Napoli in an all-Italian quarter-final and the other round of 16 tie pitted Benfica against Inter Milan. The winners of those qualifiers will meet in the other semifinal in May.