So much for being champions of the world.
Chelsea played more like also-rans than world beaters on Tuesday night, losing 3-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the return leg of their Champions League last-16 game for a staggering 8-2 defeat on aggregate.
Chelsea fans proudly displayed a banner reading “Champions of the World” before kickoff on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge. The stark reality painted a different picture.
Chelsea collapsed with late goals last week in a 5-2 loss and imploded with early goals this time, trailing 2-0 inside 15 minutes.
That banner referred to Chelsea’s victory in the Club World Cup final last July, when Chelsea beat PSG 3-0.
Some of the home fans started booing during the first half of Tuesday’s loss and ironically cheered their players when they completed a pass.
The defeat could have been worse, but some Chelsea fans had already seen enough and started to leave after PSG’s third goal in the 62nd minute.
Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior looked on perplexed, chewing his pen or biting his nails as PSG passed his side off the field at will. The Englishman only joined Chelsea in January after leaving French club Strasbourg.
“In the Champions League you don’t deserve better if you mistakes against a very good team,” he said. “The first goal is a mistake from us … (It’s) impossible to concede so many goals.”
Chelsea hired him after parting company with Enzo Maresca, who won Conference League and Club World Cup trophies.
Rosenior’s choices
Last week, Rosenior surprisingly selected goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen ahead of Robert Sánchez and it was Jörgensen’s error that led to PSG’s third goal in the 74th minute of that game.
On Tuesday, he reinstated Sánchez and dropped central defender Wesley Fofana, replacing Fofana with 20-year-old center back Mamadou Sarr.
That didn’t work, either, as it was Sarr’s sloppy defending that allowed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score PSG’s first goal after six minutes.
This was a third straight defeat for Rosenior, whose team is sixth in the Premier League with eight games left. There is still a trophy on offer, however, with Chelsea into the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Chalobah injured
Chelsea right back Trevoh Chalobah was stretchered off late on with an ankle injury.
Rosenior said it was too early to determine how bad the injury was.
Huddle together
Chelsea’s players performed their pre-match huddle just inside PSG’s half. PSG’s players did not seem to mind as they jogged casually past Chelsea’s players moments before the start.
Under Rosenior, Chelsea’s players have made a habit of gathering in a circle around the ball on the halfway line in the moments before the first and second halves begin in a display of unity.
Before the Premier League match against Newcastle last Saturday, the huddle took on a new dimension. When referee Paul Tierney took hold of the ball next to the center circle he soon found himself surrounded by the Chelsea team.
Rosenior said there was nothing about it which was “disrespectful to the opposition” and PSG coach Luis Enrique said he did not have an issue with it. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
