Chelsea slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Valencia in their opening Champions League match as Ross Barkley missed a late penalty.
Match Reports
With Jasper Cillessen in fine form and Mason Mount's injury having compounded Chelsea's frustrations, the Blues' frailties were exposed once more when Rodrigo Moreno prodded in Dani Parejo's free-kick with16 minutes remaining.
VAR came to Chelsea's rescue when the referee decided to award the hosts a spot-kick for a Daniel Wass handball, but substitute Barkley - who overruled Willian to take the penalty - struck the bar.
Match Events
6' Abraham's shot stopped by Cillessen
Azpilicueta curls in a cross and Wass hashes his clearance. Kondogbia is forced to boot it out for a corner under pressure from Abraham. Abraham's header from the corner is blocked. Valencia eventually get it clear.
15' Mount subbed off after getting injured
Play is stopped as it looks like Mount can't continue. The young English midfielder will have to go off. Pedro comes on for Mount. That's a shame for Mount. No doubt the Champions League will see more of him soon.
27' Abraham's header wide out
Abraham nods wide after Azpilicueta puts in another fantastic cross. Chelsea's 3-4-3 is working well for them at the moment.
40' Willian's shot over the bar
Willian is Chelsea's brightest player so far. Alonso checks inside and curls in a fantastic right-footed ball for Willian arriving on the run, who can't keep his effort down.
45' CLOSE! Cillessen denies Willian’s effort
Chelsea get their best chance at the end of the half! Azpilicueta slides through Willian, who takes the ball on the half-volley and forces a save from Cillessen! Valencia clear. That's that for now.
55' CLOSE! Gameiro's shot over the bar
Parejo cleverly cuts the corner back to Gameiro just inside the penalty area, but he blazes over. That set-piece routine almost paid off for Valencia.
74' GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Valencia (Rodrigo)
Kovacic fouls Gaya in a central position. From Parejo's free-kick, Rodigo makes a clever run unmarked towards the near post and hits the ball into the ground. It bounces over Kepa and into the roof of the net!
87' Penalty Missed! (Barkley)
Barkley takes a stuttering run-up that deceives Cillessen but his penalty is always rising and just clips the crossbar! Valencia get a reprieve for now.
Player Ratings
Group Standings
thairu_martin
1234
Dear Red Devils we know it hurts missing out in UCL but that doesn't mean you should curse your fellow PL teams in UCL. Be like the last year's Chelsea by wishing all PL teams to make it to Q-final and you'll get something from Europa League. Arsenal fans: sorry i didn't mention you but your prayers are never answered So keep cursing!!
MulumbaDaniel
616
Kepa's decision to allow Bakery take a penalty over Jorginho was his greatest mistake.
Omar7kh
256
welcome to europa league, very amatuer team lampard showed he still need time to be big matches manager in big competation, very bad changes, pedro is useless he should go now, when you have pulisic in team why barkley the most useless player in team never undrestanding tactics never using his mind, when you have jorginho in pitch best penalty taker how you gave penalty to barkley becaise lampard like him his english player, he should not even played tonight lampard should blame for this defeat, someone ask him why he send barkley in pitch we you need to score goal, why not pulisic? why he take penalty when jorginho was on pitch? i dont know when we lost a europan match in bridge now should use to this tape of result under lampard.
SIRNOR
231
issues to address now 1:-defence 2:-defence 3:-defence then 4:-penalty taker
Nesaiknruy_Legend
188
People judging from the get go who is better than who. Just remember last year Spurs lost to Barca in the Groups only to go further, Juve lost to United only to go further and top the group. Things happen from time to time. City even lost to Lyon and still went on to win later. It's a bump on the road but Chelsea can still progress through the group to the later stages... have hope, dont throw all hope out the window cos of 1 game...
basketballer
170
In UEL, Arsenal Defeated Valencia... In UCL, Valencia Defeated Chelsea... Valencia : Every London Team is not Lucky 🙃
dennisachafu
159
If there is good organization from the coach, Barkley was not supposed to take that penalty. He is not the first or the second penalty taker in Chelsea. Joginho and Willian were there and they wanted to take the spot kick before Barkley shelved them off that he can take the penalty. Now, the decision was under whose instruction? With the number of games Barkley have had in the premier league,I don't think he can improve. Lampard should have proper management on who takes a penalty. We know Hazard before, now, Joginho and Willian not unserious Barkley who cannot have five good games in a season.
laydilors
147
During preseason: Barkley the next Lampard. when the season starts: Barkley the next Drink water [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
Chaselike
56
Gif here. Like me: http://www.goalgif.club/v2/live/matchGifs?match_id=52934548&language=en
Nesaiknruy_Legend
51
Abraham will start scoring by the 3rd game of the UCL, he takes time to adapt to the requirements of the game like he did with the EPL. I urge Chelsea fans to have patience, we should expect a result like this every so often because no one on the pitch today was the finished article. I made the mistake of letting the Wolves games hype get to me just like all of you but still remember we are in a season of transitioning. Chelsea will still top or place 2nd in this group I can promise that but it's going to be a lot of grinded out wins. Frank will only learn from his mistakes going forward and the team will improve. Wolves was just a glimpse of what this team can do in the future. Valencia was more a glimpse of the here and now. In fact I found some positives in the game despite a shock result. I do believe that away we will beat Valencia as revenge and hopefully by then Odoi is back, pulisic starts and our team in general has it's best players back... there is still a lot to look forward to so let's not allow ourselves to be disheartened by a loss cos everyone can lose, Liverpool just lost to Napoli but does that mean they wont progress out of their group? Chelsea will soon pick up and take off to either win or come 2nd in the group so for now accept the result and move on and strive to improve. UTB. KTBFFH.