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JAMES HAILED AS WORLD’S BEST AS HE KICK-STARTS EURO CAMPAIGN

REECE JAMES left Stamford Bridge last night with the plaudits ringing in his ears, having been the star man in an emphatic victory which kick-started Chelsea’s Champions League campaign.

James, 22, became the youngest Chelsea player to score and assist in a Champions League match, and the three points saw his side move from the bottom of their group to second, with three matches to play.

For Graham Potter, his new boss at the Blues, the potential of James “is beyond the sky” and he can “be a Chelsea legend”.

For former Blues star Joe Cole, watching on from the television studio, there were “not enough superlatives” to do justice to James’s dominant performance.

And for team-mate Trevoh

Chalobah, it is quite simple: James is the best wing-back in the world.

“I’ve said it from day one,” said Chalobah, who came up through Chelsea’s academy alongside James.

“Right now, he could be the best in the world [in that position]. Yes, we are lucky to have him. He is an unbelievable player who can do all sides of the game. He can defend, get us goals and get us assists. It is a pleasure to play with him.”

It was a near-perfect night for Chelsea, apart from an injury to Wesley Fofana after he had scored the opening goal. Fofana left the stadium in a knee brace after jarring his leg in the first half and could be missed, with a busy period to come. He was replaced by Chalobah, who slotted in well at the back as Chelsea kept a clean sheet against the Italian champions.

Chalobah’s display could be a turning point in his Chelsea career after he was linked with a loan move to several Serie A clubs.

“This is my club,” the defender said. “Every time I get the chance I want to

show the manager that I am good enough to play. Any chance I get I need to do my best and let the manager decide.

“He said I have been training well, so take it into the game. He knew I was ready and what I could do.”

Potter described his side’s performance as the benchmark for the season and it felt like it could be a key moment for a club that has been in transition after Thomas Tuchel was sacked last month.

With just one point from their two previous Champions League group games, Chelsea had to beat Milan — and the entire team responded to the pressure.

James stood out in particular. He has been Chelsea’s best player this season after renewing his contract with a six-year deal worth £250,000 a week.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with him, he’s got a lot to offer, he’s fantastic,” Potter said. “He could play any game in the world, he’s tremendous. My job is to help him reach his potential, because his potential is beyond the sky. He can be a Chelsea legend. That is the potential that he has.”

“For that to happen, he has to be part of a successful team. That’s what we’re working towards.”

There were encouraging signs across the whole team that the players are starting to adapt to the demands of their new boss.

Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell have vastly improved under Potter, having had surprisingly poor starts to the season.

Aubameyang put in his best display in a Chelsea shirt against his old club, scoring the second goal last night, and midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek also looks capable of being a regular again, helping to run the match against the seven-time European Cup winners.

“The players have responded well,” Potter said last night.

“I’ve been impressed with how open, honest and responsible they are. They knew the level had dropped a little bit, and when you do that you can be punished.

“So it’s a credit to the players that they’ve tried to take on the things we’ve spoken about, and this today is just the start us.

“I’m part of the team, I guess, but it’s the players that go out there, the players that do it. My job is just to remind them they can play at the level they showed today. That should be the minimum for us.”

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2022-10-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

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