The Blues host Real at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of our quarter-final tie just four days after suffering a rare home defeat at the hands of the Bees, bringing a shuddering halt to our impressive run of form and results prior to the international break.

Pulisic was rested for the London derby following a particularly gruelling period of travel and tense match action for the USA national team, though he believes it will provide a shock to the system that galvanises the group ahead of a decisive run of matches.

Speaking from the Harris Suite at Stamford Bridge in a media conference for journalists and TV broadcasters arranged to preview the Anglo-Spanish knockout tie, Pulisic also reflected on the experience of beating the competition’s record winners last term and how that would instil confidence into the team. However, he started by discussing how we were planning to bounce back on the biggest of nights.

‘It was obviously a tough one but maybe it was a bit of the kick we needed to get us ready for some really big games coming up,’ he explained when asked about Saturday's loss. ‘The guys are definitely going to turn it around.

‘We’re still going to be confident, as we should going into a game like this. It’s not going to be easy but hopefully that will mean we want to get back out there as soon as possible and try to win a big game.’

Those comments echoed the response of head coach Thomas Tuchel in the aftermath of the defeat, with Pulisic insisting that such knocks are part and parcel of football. The key, he believes, is the speed and strength of a team’s response.

‘We’ve all been through moments like that before and we’re experienced as a team so it’s not a time to panic or take it with us into the next game,’ he stated.

‘It was a crazy result but we’re just going to use it as fuel and turn around. Everyone at the club has handled it well so we’re going to do our best to react and bring it into these next games.’

One of Pulisic’s standout moments in a Chelsea shirt came away in the Spanish capital last season when he gave us the lead in our semi-final meeting with Real.

A week later in west London, the forward came off the bench to tee up Mason Mount’s late second, a goal that sealed our place in the final and ultimately put the wheels in motion for our second Champions League triumph.

Fast forward almost a year and the La Liga leaders stand in our way once again, although this time with the home and away legs reversed, plus the welcome return of supporters to both the Bridge and the Bernabeu, where Chelsea will play for the very first time next week after last term's Madrid clash was held behind-closed-doors at Real's Valdebebas training complex.

Real have failed to taste victory against the Blues in our five competitive meetings, with our 2-0 home win last season following a 1-1 draw in Madrid during which Karim Benzema cancelled out Pulisic’s opener.

‘We should definitely take confidence,’ said Pulisic of that record and, in particular, our 2021 success. ‘Obviously we got good results against them last year and we’re going to hope to do the same this year.

‘It’s a big team, it’s never going to be easy in a Champions League knockout game but knowing that we did it last season and went on to win it, we should feel confident. That’s our mindset going into it.’

Carlo Ancelotti has replaced Zinedine Zidane in the Real hotseat this term and Los Blancos are on course to reclaim the Spanish league title from their city rivals Atletico.

That would make the Italian the first manager to win the league in each of the five major European footballing nations, while his pursuit of a sixth European Cup/Champions League as both player and manager continues into the last-eight stage this term.

Pulisic accepts the visitors will be a different proposition on this occasion but he is adamant Chelsea have all the tools required to come out on top once again.

‘There are some new players, a new coach and a new system that they might play,’ he conceded.

‘There are maybe some similarities in the team too so we’ll continue to look at them and try to figure out the best way to play. We’ll talk about it and we’re going to be fully prepared for what they have.

‘It should give us confidence, not over-confidence, but of course knowing that we were able to do it last season against some of the biggest teams in the world should definitely give us the experience and confidence that we need going into these games.’