Valencia beats Chelsea 0-1 at Stamford bridge, as they kicked off the Champions League campaign with a huge victory away from home, even with all the internal crisis rocking the club.
The Champions League game between Chelsea and Valencia saw both managers taking charge of their respective teams for the first time in the Champions League, and despite what the game statistics shows, Valencia took home all three points with just two shots on target.
Frank Lampard who was having his first game at this stage, made just one change to the team that thrashed Wolves over the weekend, as he maintained same lineup on Tuesday night. His team played well and controlled the game, but they failed to unlock the visitors defence, as they made it difficult for the English club to get any through ball to their inform striker, Abraham.
Little or nothing was expected of Valencia going into Tuesday Champions League game, after the sacking of Marcelino. But the Laliga team somehow, managed to grab all three point at Stamford bridge, with a goal from Rodrigo while playing a very compact football.
Lampard opted for the three defenders, with Azpilicueta and Alonso giving that free movement to run at defenders.It worked perfectly well, Chelsea just could not take their chances.
Lampard tried to change the course of the game and removed a Zouma to put Giroud and redesign his drawing to a 1-4-4-2. But the French striker had not yet touched the ball when Rodrigo’s goal came in From a well planned free kick.
Chelsea where afterwards awarded a penalty after the VAR captured how Wass touched the ball with his hand inside the aarea.But Barkley who stepped up to take the kick, blasted it against the upright, to the disbelieve of thousands of Chelsea fans.
Chelsea’s midfielder, Mount got injured in the game and even though he tried to continue after the injury, he could not and was later.