Chelsea’s Champions League defense could surpass last season’s

Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as Chelsea manager in January 2021 should genuinely go down as one of the greatest midseason hires in the history of European football. The German tactician completely transformed an inconsistent unit with no real attacking identity into a fearsome and ruthless side in a matter of months. He also solidified himself as a legend in west London with last season’s Champions League triumph. The Blues have been nearly invincible, especially in the continental tournament, since Tuchel’s takeover.

This trend continued on Tuesday afternoon as Chelsea handled Malmo without any real fuss, although the final scoreline of 1-0 points to a relatively even affair. The statistics, on the other hand, tell an entirely different story. The visitors controlled 72.7 percent possession and made about 400 more passes than the Swedish champs, which at times made the match feel more like keepaway than football. The Blues’ defense, which admittedly did not face much resistance, also put together another tremendous outing. The back line limited the opposition to only four total shots, and just as in the previous match-up between these two teams, none of them forced Edouard Mendy into a save. Chelsea’s defensive form in the UCL, while occasionally alluded to by television punditry and on social media, has been truly remarkable over the past two seasons.

Chelsea’s defense is on pace to set records in the 2021/22 Champions League

The 2020/21 campaign was particularly impressive, as the trophy-winning side conceded the second-fewest number of goals of any team to ever lift the trophy with four. Mendy’s effort and the team’s overall resilience is underscored by the fact that the Blues’ opponents combined for an xG of 8.0, meaning that they were expected to have scored twice as many goals as they did over the course of the tournament. While those numbers are obviously extraordinary in their own right, the team’s continued high-level of defensive play this season is even more incredible. Many of the squad’s first choice defenders, most notably Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, have gained serious confidence from the Champions League victory and continued to develop during last summer’s international tournaments. Chelsea’s defense in 2021/22 European competition is statistically on pace to be just as good as last year’s, and possibly even better.

Though it has only been four matches, the Blues have been historically good at the back. They conceded only once so far, as many supporters will remember the calamitous opening seconds of the second half against Juventus, and have generally allowed very few quality chances to opposing forwards. Chelsea’s defensive shrewdness thus far amounts to a goals per game ratio of 0.25, which would be second-best in the history of the Champions League behind the legendary 1993/94 AC Milan side that allowed only two goals on the path to UCL glory. At the moment, comparing names like Christensen, Rudiger and Thiago Silva to the likes of Filippo Galli and Paolo Maldini might seem ridiculous, but the statistics show that Tuchel’s preferred defenders have the potential to reach a similar status of immortality.

Looking ahead to Chelsea’s final two group stage matches, it is entirely plausible that the Blues could keep clean sheets in both and advance to the knockout rounds having only conceded one goal for the second time in the club’s history. It has been quite awhile since London’s top team has felt unbeatable, but that sensation is starting to come back around. If this incredible run of form, particularly with its current mode of defensive excellence, continues into the future, there is no reason that Chelsea cannot repeat as the kings of Europe.

Which Chelsea defense do you think is better overall? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!