For the second match in a row, Reece James completed 90 minutes playing in central midfield. For a player who has missed such a great amount of time through injury, simply getting through two games like this is progress.
James has now been available for nine straight Premier League fixtures - although he was unused as a substitute in three of those - and came up when it mattered in Copenhagen on Thursday. This is his longest streak in nearly three years.
The only match he missed was the first of the defeats away to Brighton, an FA Cup match he was rested in more than anything. That was as a precaution. Since then James has continued to provide Enzo Maresca an option across the pitch.
Nominally a right-back, James is rarely used in that position anymore. Maresca's in-possession build-up tends to see him either become a right-sided centre-back or, as has been the go-to, a midfielder.
The turning point was against Bournemouth in January. James replaced Romeo Lavia and continued to move into the centre of the park. This is something he has done at times and threatened to in pre-season.
Maresca spoke after the Copenhagen match and said that he had always seen James as capable of playing in this position, something he did when on loan at Wigan as a teenager. James has dabbled, briefly, as a midfielder when needed since then, but never this consistently.
He combined being in midfield and defence against Bournemouth and did the same one week later at home to Wolves. He played a more orthodox full-back at Manchester City and was deeper eight days on against West Ham. Since then it has been midfield all the way.
Maresca turned to James when 3-0 down at Brighton, and he has seemingly settled on a completely new role for him. The 25-year-old was deployed in a midfield three at Aston Villa, taking up a place next to Moises Caicedo with Enzo Fernandez in more advanced areas.
In Denmark, he played the full match, supported by Caicedo for 45 minutes and then Fernandez after halftime. He made the breakthrough, driving onto a ball within 60 seconds of the restart and firing in a low shot to give Chelsea the lead. It was James' second goal of the season and an important one.
It is noticeable that James has been taking on more responsibility within the Chelsea squad both on and off the pitch in recent weeks. Although he is still far from a natural in midfield, it is something that Maresca believes can aid the player and team.
His passing range is expansive, offering whipped right-footed options towards the flanks as well as cross-field diagonals and the bravery to play through the lines. He is still not completely at home yet.
James has been caught out with his back to play and appears to be a common pressing trigger for opponents. When the ball is played into him from the defence he is leapt upon.
He remains comfortable enough to take the ball, turning either into danger and backing his technical skill, close control, or strength to roll out. James can also lay off passes first time, flicking them around a corner.
There is still a sense of a square peg being in a round hole. James was unused against Southampton as it came just three days after the trip to Villa Park. If there is not confidence in him playing twice in a week then it is likely that he will sit out for Leicester City - probably watching from the bench - whilst this teammates do the rest.
There is logic in that, but James would also be most at home and at ease against these sides. They are the perfect teams to experiment against. Then again, Chelsea are just simply a better team when James is playing and available. Whether it is in midfield or not, Maresca may already be lining him up to return for the second leg and then away to Arsenal.
This is the dilemma and the long game you have to play with James at the moment. What is clear is that he is now an extremely versatile part of the squad and, because he is so adaptable, has come into the side in an unnatural role and slowly put together and impressive run of performances without getting much attention.
That is James at his effortless best and Chelsea will need more of it to come.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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