Chilwell admits time is running out for Chelsea to turn their season around

Ben Chilwell has admitted that time is running out for Chelsea to turn their season around.

The Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

The left-back, 26, who made his first start since early November, also insisted the West London club are 'trying our best to work hard and put that right'.

Chelsea managed 21 attempts to the hosts' 14 and Joao Felix cannoned a first-half effort off the crossbar as Graham Potter's side - still searching for just their second win in 2023 - came up empty-handed.

Chilwell said: 'I don't think it is luck. There are no excuses. We played well tonight, but if we want to go far, then we need to play even better. We have a lot of new players who we're trying to integrate.

'Unfortunately, that takes time, but we also don't have time, but we're trying our best to work hard and put that right. We've got a big game at the weekend and a second leg at Stamford Bridge. We've got to try and put that right.'

Defeat in front of the imposing Yellow Wall at Signal Iduna Park means Chelsea will have to quickly come up with answers before the sides meet again at Stamford Bridge on March 7.

He continued: 'We'd have loved to have won or take the clean sheet. They took their chance, we didn't take ours, that is what happens at this level.

'We lost and, in knockout competition, winning is the only thing that matters. We go into the second leg with positives, knowing we've come here and played well, threatened and created chances.

'When you look at the talent of the team, we want to be free flowing and play exciting football and scores lots of goals. Tonight was a lot more like that, especially in the second half. It just was the final ball or shot wasn't quite there. All to play for at the Bridge.'

The third-placed Bundesliga side picked up their seventh straight victory thanks to Karim Adeyemi's second-half solo goal - a brilliant, rapid run down the left from deep in his own half.

His speed made the difference as he evaded Enzo Fernandez before rounding Kepa Arrizabalaga and firing the winner into the empty net with a composed finish.

Emre Can made a last-ditch clearance to deny Koulibaly an equaliser when his effort rolled dangerously across the goalline in the 77th minute to give Dortmund the advantage.

'Our fans were excellent today and are wherever we go. We're working hard to repay them. We've got an exciting squad and I'm sure we'll turn it around soon,' Chilwell added.

Potter, who insisted in the pre-match press conference that he is capable of getting angry, nonetheless chose to see the evening's glass as half full.

'We have to to better. We were pushing at the time (of the goal) and were the better team so to concede in that manner is what we're disappointed in, but the players are honest,' Potter said.