LONDON — It’s been less than a year since Chelsea celebrated as world champions, but now they find themselves struggling in the wilderness. This alarming decline raises serious questions about Chelsea’s unusual strategy to reclaim a permanent spot among Europe’s elite.
Although the Blues garnered praise for their unexpected victory at last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, their status as the world’s best team has always felt a bit unconvincing.
In fact, they weren’t even the top team in England last season, and Paris Saint-Germain emphatically reminded them on Tuesday that they are far from the best in Europe either.
The 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge resulted in an 8-2 aggregate loss, marking one of the worst two-legged defeats in Chelsea’s European history.
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PSG, the reigning Champions League holders, ruthlessly highlighted the issues in Chelsea’s squad, which have persisted long before the arrival of new head coach Liam Rosenior, ensuring his job is not at risk after such a crushing defeat.
Controversy has surrounded Chelsea’s strategy of building a competitive team, with the club aggressively spending over £1.5 billion since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took ownership less than four years ago. Tensions have emerged between Boehly and Clearlake’s Behdad Eghbali recently, but both were present at the match, sharing a handshake in the Directors’ Box, indicating a possible reconciliation.
What they witnessed was a stark revelation of the problems within the squad. Chelsea’s urgent need for upgrades in their center-back positions, goalkeeper, and forward line has been evident for some time. The season-ending injury to Levi Colwell was a significant setback, but the underlying issues run much deeper.
Any hope of a comeback faded after just 15 minutes, disrupted by yet another round of careless defending, a recurring theme as of late.
This characteristic went hand-in-hand with PSG’s efficiency; they registered eight attempts on goal, with five on target resulting in three scores.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a well-placed finish stemming from a simple long ball by PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov, which Mamadou Sarr failed to adequately defend.
Sarr, making his Champions League debut, was out of position at right-back due to injuries to Reece James and Malo Gusto, but this mistake transcended his position on the field.
Similarly, Bradley Barcola‘s exquisite finish in the 15th minute was made possible due to the excess space he was allowed. Any residual pre-match optimism among the supporters evaporated almost immediately.
For the umpteenth time this season, the home fans chanted the name of Roman Abramovich.
Although Abramovich is a controversial figure in the UK due to his legal troubles, many Chelsea fans have fond memories of his tenure, as he built a team that consistently competed at the highest level.
Recent news of a £10.75 million fine imposed on the club for making £47 million in undisclosed payments to unregistered agents and third parties in transfer dealings from 2011 to 2018 served as a stark reminder that the previous regime also faced its share of missteps.
Despite the setbacks, the club has achieved some successes: they’ve qualified for the UEFA Champions League, won the UEFA Conference League, and enjoyed last summer’s triumph in the United States.
Nevertheless, the club still appears to be grappling with the challenges of redefining itself in the post-Abramovich landscape.
Changes have come at a rapid pace. Over 50 players have been signed, and Rosenior is the club’s fifth permanent head coach. While a pool of promising young talent exists within one of the youngest squads in Europe, the need for experience is urgent. Former managers Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca both emphasized the importance of adding seasoned players to guide the younger ones, especially in the center-back position. Rosenior also requested a center back in January, but the club missed out on Jérémy Jacquet, who chose to sign with Liverpool.
Sarr was recalled from Strasbourg as a makeshift solution. Consequently, Chelsea’s defense remains in a state of disarray — Wesley Fofana was benched during the match — while the rotating goalkeeper situation with Robert Sánchez and Filip Jørgensen seems inconsistent with the reliability that top clubs possess. They’ve now managed just one clean sheet in their last 14 matches.
Rosenior is not without fault, and fans remain divided on their current head coach. His decision to substitute Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández, and João Pedro shortly after Chelsea went two goals down was met with some disapproval, and moments later, Senny Mayulu added PSG’s third, prompting many fans to exit early.
Rosenior’s focus appeared to shift to Saturday’s crucial Premier League match against Everton, a match that carries significant weight as Chelsea currently sits outside the top five in the Premier League. The reality is a battle for Champions League qualification – coupled with an upcoming FA Cup quarterfinal against Port Vale.
Before the match, Chelsea tried to embrace their world champion status, introducing the players as such and showcasing a banner declaring “Champions of the World” in the Shed End, a nod to PSG’s previous defeat in the Club World Cup, hoping to spark a spectacular comeback.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, they were firmly put in their place, intensifying the scrutiny over whether their current approach is a viable path to reclaiming the Champions League title.