Chelsea's Intensity Issues Exposed by Legia

Chelsea's lack of preparation and intensity costs them in a 2-1 loss to Legia Warsaw in the Conference League.

Legia Warsaw's fans celebrated a stunning 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, exposing the hosts' lack of intensity. Despite advancing to the semi-finals with a 4-2 aggregate lead, Chelsea struggled in the second leg, with captain Reece James admitting they were far from their best.

Chelsea will face Swedish side Djurgarden in the #UECL semi-finals. 🏆

Fixture confirmation will be announced in due course. pic.twitter.com/3VtbZVLC93

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 17, 2025

The visiting fans, mostly shirtless and waving red smoke, cheered as Tomas Pekhart scored from the penalty spot in the 10th minute. Marc Cucurella equalized before halftime, but Steve Kapuadi restored Legia's lead in the 53rd minute, sparking jubilant scenes among the away supporters.

🇪🇸 @cucurella3 🎬#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/Lx4uaQg9iU

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 18, 2025

Chelsea captain Reece James acknowledged the team's subpar performance, saying, “Maybe we disrespected the competition today. But this is football. If you don't prepare right, you will pay.” This lackluster display came despite a comfortable aggregate lead after a 3-0 win in the first leg.

Manager Enzo Maresca made seven changes to the starting lineup, citing the desire to manage the result and avoid injuries ahead of a crucial league match against Fulham. “

Probably, after the first leg we tried to manage a little bit the result, rotate players, try to avoid injury, because we have an important game on Sunday,” Maresca explained. Chelsea's next challenge is the Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden, with the first leg scheduled for May 1st.