UEFA Champions League day 4: AS Roma 3-0 Chelsea, Manchester United 2-0 Benfica
This weekend Chelsea will face Manchester United for the match of the day in England. Before that, both teams had different fortunes in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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Chelsea conceded 6 goals to the Italians in two games and rose serious defensive concerns. It only took a few seconds into the match to be down 1-0. Premier League champions last year, the Blues are having much more difficulties on at both the national and continental level.
Coach Chelsea Antonio Conte on the loss:
“Now there is another big game against Manchester United and we must find the strength to try to put all of ourselves on the pitch during the game. It will not be easy but I think we need to have a good performance. We will play at home and there was disappointment for our fans against Roma because they tried to push us from the start until the end.
Now we need to work together and understand that this season we have to dig deep, very deep, if we want to be competitive in all competitions.”
Manchester United have won its four games so far in the Champions League and are poised to the Round of 16 needing only one point in the last two games. Mourinho’s team has been great and even missed a penalty early in the game.
Coach Mourinho on the win and Champions League campaign so far:
“We don’t qualify yet, not yet. Four victories and it’s not enough, so we must get that point. Two matches, we must get that one. I’m more than happy. We change a lot of players, we broke the natural dynamic of the team and the routines of the team. We played a kid from the Academy [Scott McTominay]. We scored two goals, we didn’t concede. Three more points, 12 [points overall in Group A]. It’s more money for the club because every victory means money. No significant injuries, just something in Jesse’s back but nothing important. I’m more than happy.
The points, the clean sheet, the dynamic and it was a difficult dynamic because we broke that dynamic in these routines. We broke the stability by changing so many players. It was six [changes]. I’m happy with an Academy kid to play 90 minutes in a Champions League match. I’m happy we almost qualified but I’m quite a bit disappointed we are not yet [qualified]. I’m happy after four matches away, then two difficult [home] ones against Tottenham and Benfica and two victories.”
