Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior defended his decision to substitute three of Chelsea’s key players early during their heavy Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, insisting the long-term fitness of his squad had to come first.
Chelsea were beaten 3-0 on the night at Stamford Bridge, completing an emphatic 8-2 aggregate loss as PSG comfortably progressed to the quarter-finals.
Fan frustration grows at Stamford Bridge
With the tie already slipping away, Rosenior opted to withdraw Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez with more than 30 minutes remaining – a decision that drew audible frustration from the home crowd.
Boos were heard around the stadium as the trio made their way off, in a reaction reminiscent of the criticism aimed at former manager Enzo Maresca earlier in the season for a similar decision involving Palmer.
READ MORE: Selling Cole Palmer to Man Utd ‘doesn’t make sense’ for Chelsea, says Wayne Bridge
Rosenior prioritises player welfare
However, Rosenior stood firm in his reasoning after the match, pointing to the physical demands placed on his players over an intense schedule.
“They’ve played over 100 games in 18 months, they’ve had no break in terms of the international games, the travelling that people like Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez do to South America,” he said.
“It’s not an excuse. This is a by-product of success of the Club World Cup.
“It’s a great thing the club achieved but you’re seeing with Reece and with other players that if I don’t manage their minutes their likelihood of getting injured increases highly.
“I have to make really difficult decisions which at the time don’t look great.
“You never want to take off your best players when you’re five goals down but I want to make the decisions which are right for this football club in the long term.”
Pressure building amid poor run of form
The defeat continues a difficult run for Chelsea, who have now lost four of their last six matches in all competitions.
Supporters again voiced their displeasure at both half-time and full-time, reflecting growing frustration at the team’s recent performances.
Attention now quickly turns back to domestic matters, with a crucial Premier League trip to Everton looming.
Chelsea’s dip in form has seen them fall out of the Champions League qualification places, increasing the pressure on Rosenior to deliver results.
READ NEXT: Premier League winners and losers: Tottenham, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and more
SportJustSport writers