Enzo Maresca`s attempt to win over Chelsea fans backfired as his expensively assembled team delivered a disappointing performance.
The Chelsea head coach chose a very strong starting eleven, hoping to inject energy into Stamford Bridge after recent lackluster games.
Despite reaching the Conference League semi-finals, Chelsea lost to the fifth-ranked team in Poland.
This is their first home defeat in 2025 and their first loss in the UEFA C-List tournament`s main stage, a competition they were expected to win easily.
Flares set off by away fans filled the stadium with smoke in the second half, but there was no hiding the embarrassment for Maresca’s billion-pound squad.
Although they progressed to the semi-finals on aggregate, this result intensifies the growing discontent among fans, who are often frustrated and bored by Maresca’s strategies.
The slow pace and cautious play near their own goal led to jeers from the crowd, who wanted more dynamism.
Without the constant singing from 1,000 Polish supporters, the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge would have been lifeless, or even hostile, due to another disappointing home game.
Maresca selected a strong lineup including captain Reece James, star player Cole Palmer, main striker Nicolas Jackson, and Euro 2024 winner Marc Cucurella.
It was unclear if this was preparation for their upcoming match against Fulham, or punishment for their poor performance against Ipswich.
While Chelsea has struggled for form in the Premier League, their European campaign has been different.
The weaker opposition in Europe has allowed Maresca to rotate his squad and primarily use backup players.
However, this approach changed last night with a stronger team selection.
It quickly became clear that Maresca aimed to sharpen his key players for the final part of the domestic season.
Early in the game, Palmer had a one-on-one chance but shot wide. Minutes later, he missed a header, partly due to Jadon Sancho passing instead of shooting himself.
Chelsea`s season-long issues were evident again. Despite controlling the first ten minutes and creating chances, they conceded first.
Warsaw’s first attack led to a penalty when goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen fouled Tomas Pekhart.
Pekhart converted the penalty, scoring from the spot.
With Chelsea leading 3-0 from the first leg, there was no sense of panic, even from the vocal away supporters.
Sancho then set up Cucurella in the 31st minute, who scored from close range, bringing Chelsea level.
However, Maresca’s team, even the first-choice lineup, appears fragile. The fans` negativity, similar to Sunday`s game, seemed to affect the players.
Warsaw regained the lead early in the second half from a corner. After Chelsea failed to clear, Steve Kapuadi headed in a rebound from close range.
This goal sparked more flares in the away end.
Substitute Noni Madueke added energy and had a shot cleared off the line. Another substitute, Tyrique George, also had a shot that was cleared off the line by Kapuadi after squirming under the keeper.
Smoke from flares briefly obscured the pitch as Chelsea tried to increase their tempo against the inferior opposition, mirroring their struggles throughout the season.
When the smoke cleared, Chelsea continued to struggle against a weaker team, a recurring theme in their season across all competitions.
