Who is new Chelsea interim manager Bruno Saltor? Did he play for Brighton, what’s been said after Graham Potter sacking

Bruno Saltor claims he is determined to carry on the work of his predecessor Graham Potter ahead of his side's game against Liverpool. Potter was sacked as Chelsea manager on Sunday 2 April after a crushing 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa.

The former Brighton boss won just 12 of his 31 games with The Blues in the months leading up to his departure. Saltor has been installed as the temporary boss at Stamford Bridge while owner Todd Boehly searches for a long-term successor. It is the Spaniard’s debut as a manager following his retirement from football in 2019 and Saltor admits it is the first time that he has ever had to select a starting 11 in his entire career.

But who is Chelsea’s new interim coach Bruno Saltor and what has he said following the departure of his former boss Graham Potter? Here is everything you need to know.

Who is Bruno Saltor?

Bruno Saltor is a Spanish football manager and former footballer who is currently working as the interim head coach of Chelsea. He has mainly been known simply as Bruno to football fans throughout his playing career. The Spanish right back was born on 1 October 1980 and he began his professional football career with the Catalonian based club Espanyol. Bruno spent four seasons with Espanyol’s B team but left in 2003 for further first team opportunities with UE Lleida in the second tier of Spanish football.

Bruno spent four years as a first team regular with UE Lleida and caught the eye of former Almeria coach Unai Emery who signed the player in 2006. The Spanish right back was a key part of the set up at Almeria and he helped the club achieve promotion to La Liga for the first time in their history. Bruno continued to play a key role in Almeria’s team as they established themselves in the top-flight and he followed Emery to Valencia when he joined the club in 2009. The Spaniard spent three years as a squad player at Valencia and later moved to England to join Brighton on a free transfer.

Bruno was 31-years-old when he signed for Brighton and he quickly established himself as a key leader in the dressing room and eventually became the club captain.  He made history once again in 2017 by winning promotion to the Premier League with Brighton for the first time in their history.

Bruno retired from football at the age of 39 after making 235 appearances for Brighton. Despite his retirement from playing he continued his association with The Seagulls by becoming the senior player development coach under manager Graham Potter. Bruno later followed Potter to Chelsea in September 2022 and he was a member of his coaching team for his seven month tenure in charge of The Blues.

What has Bruno Saltor said ahead of the Liverpool game?

Bruno Saltor has described the 24 hours following Graham Potter’s sacking as “sad” and claims he will try to follow the work of his former boss during his tenure. The former Brighton boss said: “Obviously it has been a difficult 24 hours for all of us, for the staff, for the families and now we have to live with the situation [...] If I’m here right now it’s because Graham and the club thought it was the right step. I’m just here to help the club in the best way I can.”

Bruno has never managed before in his career and he has instantly been assigned the task of trying to revive Chelsea’s Premier League season, as well as navigating the unenviable quarter-final tie against reigning Champions League holders Real Madrid. He is hoping to use his playing experience to help the younger players through a difficult period in the season and added: “I’ve been just four years a coach but 24 years involved in football. I have a lot of experience in changing rooms, trying to help players, guide players because I’ve been in those situations before.

“I’ve got the feeling I can help especially the young players who haven’t been in the situation before.” Bruno takes on Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 4 April in his first game as Chelsea boss.