Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca described his team’s FA Cup exit as a “big shame” after a 2-1 defeat to Brighton.
The Blues took an early lead through an own goal by Bart Verbruggen but conceded twice in the second half, with Kaoru Mitoma scoring the winner despite a handball in the buildup. Softfootball reports that Maresca was frustrated by his side’s inability to manage the game.
Maresca emphasized that top clubs must learn how to win ugly and secure narrow victories when necessary. He noted that Chelsea failed to demonstrate this maturity, allowing Brighton back into the contest and ultimately losing their grip on the tie despite having the advantage for much of the first half.
He explained his disappointment by stating:
I said to the players weeks ago and I said again tonight: we need to learn how to sometimes win a game 1-0. Big clubs do that. For sure, it’s a big shame for us.
This highlights the gap between their current performance and elite standards.
The Chelsea boss now looks toward the Premier League and Conference League as the remaining avenues for silverware. He expressed hope that the team can maintain their strong domestic form and finish the season strongly in the league while pursuing European glory.
