Thomas Tuchel says he knew his Chelsea team would react after their embarrassing setback against West Brom, following their Champions League win over Porto.
Chelsea were humbled in a 5-2 loss to the Premier League relegation strugglers, who thrashed the 10-man Blues after they were left shorthanded by a Thiago Silva red card.
However, Chelsea bounced back with a 2-0 win over Porto on Wednesday, taking a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals.
What did Tuchel have to say?
"It was a tough match against a strong Porto side," he told BT Sport. "There were many moments where we suffered. We accepted it. The circumstances are a bit different in a quarter-final. The spirit was good and it was an excellent result.
"I was pretty sure about that [they'd react well after the WBA defeat]. I saw a response immediately in the dressing room and the next day. That wasn't a big concern. We were ready to respond. There will always be setbacks in sports. The biggest challenge is to bounce back.
"We had a lot of excellent results together, then we had a loss together and then a reaction after a loss together. That brings us closer together and increases the trust."
Mount 'took responsibility'
Mason Mount scored the first of Chelsea's two goals, giving the Blues a lead in the first half, while Ben Chilwell added the Blues' second before the final whistle.
Next Match
With their goals, Mount and Chilwell were able to match Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and John Terry and, after the match, Tuchel was full of praise for his two scorers.
"I'm very happy that he [Mount] scores," Tuchel said. "A very important goal that opened up the game. It calmed the nerves. Not an easy shot but very precise. Very happy for Mason. He took responsbility.
"[Chilwell's goal was] excellent. He kept composure and went round the keeper. It was super important to get the second away goal. Chilly forced the mistake and kept his cool in the box. We're very happy to go away with this result but it's only half-time."
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