Karim Adeyemi’s superb solo strike leaves Chelsea’s hopes in balance

Now it’s time to get angry. Chelsea were slick, measured and rather impressive – until they got into the final third. Chances came, chances went, and so did control of the tie.

Somehow, despite spending much of the contest on the back foot, it was Borussia Dortmund who found the moment. Karim Adeyemi’s magnificent solo goal was enough and, for Graham Potter, there should be fury at a result that leaves Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the last eight of the Champions League in doubt before next month’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Much of the focus before this tie had lingered on Potter’s lack of Proper Football Man energy when decisions go against his team. But it is simply not his style to make a big noise. Potter will always do his talking in the dugout and, for all the doubts over his mentality, there have been positive glimmers from Chelsea lately; hints that the project could work if the coach is given time to grow into his role.

Potter has made much of the need for his team to gel. Equally, though, sometimes football is an easy language. Some talents never have a communication problem and there were plenty of moments during the opening period when it seemed that Chelsea’s superior finances would simply prove too vast for Dortmund to resist.

Chelsea were commanding. Potter had picked the fun team – Joao Felix off Kai Havertz, creativity and pace out wide, Kalidou Koulibaly in a back four on his first start since 11 January – and the start was as promising as you might have expected from a team with an £106.8m world champion in midfield.

Dortmund had nowhere near as much star power, even with Adeyemi lively on the left and Jude Bellingham an elegant presence in midfield. The press was furious but the high line was less