
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admitted that his side’s 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener served as a reality check.
Despite the result last night, the Italian coach praised his team’s overall display, stressing that they competed well against one of Europe’s strongest sides.
Bayern punish Chelsea’s mistakes
Trevoh Chalobah’s own goal gave Bayern an early advantage, before Harry Kane extended their lead from the penalty spot.
Cole Palmer reduced the deficit, but Kane scored again to secure a comfortable victory. Palmer thought he had scored another later in the game, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Maresca told TNT Sports he was satisfied with many aspects of the display but recognised the turning point of the contest.
“Overall, the performance was quite good,” he said. “We started really well, and we were in the game.
“We just conceded a goal that killed the game. We were in the game. We scored, but unfortunately, it was offside.”
Maresca explained that his team must learn from the defeat, pointing out that the standard of play in Europe demands complete focus throughout the match.
The Chelsea boss concluded that while his players matched Bayern for long periods, the result highlighted the areas that need improvement.
“It’s a reality check, but overall we competed well,” Maresca added.
Chelsea swicth their attention back to the Premier League on Saturday when they visit Manchester United.