COMMENT: The happiness. The goodwill. Even the relief. Graham Potter would love to bottle all the emotions generated after Chelsea's victory over Borussia Dortmund. A victory which could be career, even era, defining...

Finally we have a good news story about Chelsea. Finally there's something positive to write about. The triumph over Dortmund taking the Blues into the Champions League quarterfinals and also giving their manager a result to prove he can match it at this level. One swallow doesn't make a summer, we know - particularly in football. But this was a test for Potter. A real white-knuckle challenge. And he came through it so, so impressively.

But beyond Potter, this was a triumph of persistence. Even redemption. The outpouring of goodwill in the aftermath a clear sign of how many inside the game have seen these players suffer.

Raheem Sterling's opener was indicative of this Chelsea team. A fluffed first shot. A miss-control. But he kept persisting. Fighting. And eventually a bobbling ball sat up enough for him to thump it past Alexander Meyer in the Dortmund goal. It was scrappy. Ugly. But Sterling, through sheer will, managed to find success. As we say, this was a win for persistence.

Let's not forget, they were bouncing Sterling out of Stamford Bridge just weeks ago. A difficult first six months as a Blue leading to press talk of the two parties cutting their losses and going their separate ways in June. A claim that has also been following Kalidou Koulibaly since before the New Year. But on this night, the former Napoli captain was outstanding. Bear hugs for pundits Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Carragher on the touchline at the final whistle a sure sign of the release of pressure that had been building on Koulibaly's shoulders. A warrior reborn. His happiness was shared by his fellow centre-halves, Ferdinand and Carragher, post-match. The goodwill generated was plentiful.

And no-one deserved that more than the night's man-of-the-match, Marc Cucurella. Not by an online poll. Nor by an ex-pro in the studio. But judged by UEFA's technical panel for the game. On this night. On this occasion. Cucurella produced a career best performance. Slammed by former Chelsea players. Ridiculed by online fans - ridicule that was encouraged by not only teammate Mykhaylo Mudryk, but club owner Todd Boehly. Cucurella managed to stare all that down and produce a performance as he did on Tuesday night. You'd have to be some cynic not to be happy for the Catalan, particularly now that we've learned the start to his Chelsea career was hit by a home invasion.

Performance-wise, this wasn't a win for the ages. But on significance. For the occasion. It certainly could be. A year on since the UK government forced Roman Abramovich to put Chelsea on the market, this felt like a watershed moment. Regulars of this column will know our attitude towards Chelsea's sale and the treatment their former owner endured last year. But only the mean-spirited would begrudge Boehly this moment. As top man, he deserved this night. Like so many in the dugout and on the pitch, Boehly has been hammered day and night for the way Chelsea have spluttered through this season. But Tuesday was different. It felt different. The occasion. The opposition. It was a new Chelsea. Boehly's Chelsea. And the American, with beer bottle in hand, deserved that embrace with his manager in the players' tunnel.

But that time to reflect. Maybe even bask. Well for Boehly, that lasted only a few hours before he was being warned about 'toxicity' by the Supporters' Trust regarding talk of a price hike on season tickets. Why they chose to make their statement in the aftermath of such a night, only those responsible can say. Boehly barely having the morning-after to reflect on a special night before the barbs were again incoming. Such is the life of football club owner, Todd...

But that cannot detract from Tuesday night. A second consecutive win after a hard-earned three points against Leeds. Two clean sheets. Chelsea are next up at Leicester City. And Potter does appear to be settling on a core of players he can trust. There is now a shape to the team and you do expect much the same personnel to start at the King Power stadium on Saturday.

For now it's about consistency. The manager is getting a tune out of these players. Sometimes the notes are flat. But they're persisting. Which for this group is a triumph in itself. The style can come later. It's about building. Developing. And that always involves stumbles along the way. But it was clear on Tuesday, this group are united. They're focused on the same goal. And for those watching on, you can't help but be happy for them - including Boehly - on a night like that.

This win felt different. Significant. A result to launch a career. An era. And perhaps there'll be no need for that bottle. Nights like Tuesday need not be some rare one-off.