S Poddar
Chelsea began their life under new management with a hard-fought victory, 2-0, over Servette in the first leg of their Europa Conference League playoff. Though the Blues were slow to get out of the blocks, they found their rhythm with second-half goals by Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke.
This wasn’t really a masterclass from either side in the first 45 minutes, both laboured to get on their feet. The decision to start Mykhailo Mudryk ahead of Raheem Sterling certainly raised some eyebrows among the fans; there were dispersed murmurs of discontent from the fans at times through the course of the game.
The new Chelsea boss, Enzo Maresca, was relieved with the win but said there was a lot his team could still learn from. “In some moments, I really liked the team on and off the ball,” he said. “At the start, the team was very aggressive. Also, because we are in a process, there are some moments we can manage better.”
Nkunku’s penalty and a fine individual effort from Madueke rewarded Chelsea with a comfortable lead going into the second leg in Switzerland. However, Maresca himself knows very well that it is far from over, and they will have to turn up in their best attire to book a place in the group stage.
This game was also a first involvement for Joao Felix after the midfielder signed for Chelsea from Atlético Madrid on loan. Intros to the crowd pre-match, the Portuguese forward played in their second-half resurgence.
The win was a great start, but Chelsea still has a long way to go. The Blues are still rebuilding under new ownership, and the magic will only happen when this team really clicks and finds its identity.
In that respect, Blues fans will be eyeing further development from their team as the season wears on, competing for silverware.
