Strange to play Club World Cup in front of 50,000 empty seats: Chelsea's Maresca

India Today

11 hours ago

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca described the atmosphere as "strange" during his team's opening FIFA Club World Cup match on Monday, after the Blues secured victory in front of nearly 50,000 empty seats.The Blues defeated Los Angeles FC 2-0 in Monday's group stage encounter, but played in a stadium that was less than a third full. With a capacity of 71,000, the multi-purpose venue welcomed just over 22,000 spectators for the 3 p.m. kick-off.advertisement"It was a good match, a good performance," Maresca told reporters after the match. "I think the environment was a bit strange. The stadium was almost empty. Not full."
The Italian, who joined Chelsea this summer after leading Leicester City to Premier League promotion, acknowledged the difficulty of playing in such a subdued setting, especially with Atlanta being over 2,000 miles (3,220 km) from LAFC's base in Los Angeles."We prepared for this game also thinking that the environment was a bit different," Maresca said. "But no doubt that the next one will be a nice one because we know that the Brazilian team, they always bring many, many fans. So we will try to be ready for the next one."Chelsea are scheduled to face Brazilian giants Flamengo on Friday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The match is expected to draw a significantly larger crowd, with Flamengo boasting one of the most passionate travelling fanbases in world football.advertisementThe underwhelming attendance for Chelsea's opener contrasted sharply with the rest of the tournament. Over 60,000 fans were in attendance for the opening match between Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Al Ahly on Saturday, while a massive crowd of 80,000 packed the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sunday to witness UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain take on Atletico Madrid. Boca Juniors fans later created a fervent atmosphere during their match against Benfica at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.Despite the quiet surroundings, Chelsea delivered a composed display against the MLS side. Liam Delap, recently signed from Ipswich Town for around 30 million on a six-year deal, made an immediate impact by assisting Enzo Fernndez's goal to double the lead after Christopher Nkunku's opener.Maresca, who already has Nicolas Jackson, Nkunku, and young striker Marc Guiu as attacking options, expressed interest in how the internal competition up front would evolve."I am curious to see how Nico reacts (to Delap)," said Maresca. "He competed with Guiu, who is very young, during the season. They are both good number nines."Chelsea now sit level with Flamengo at the top of their group after the Brazilian side also secured a 2-0 win over Esperance de Tunis.Must Watch