Chelsea booked their place in the Europa Conference League semi-finals despite a 2–1 defeat to Legia Warszawa at Stamford Bridge, completing a 4–2 aggregate victory after a tense and often chaotic second leg in London, Softfootball reports.
Enzo Maresca’s side entered the evening with a comfortable three-goal cushion from the first leg in Poland, but any sense of security evaporated quickly when Legia were awarded a penalty just ten minutes in. Tomas Pekhart stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick, cutting Chelsea’s aggregate lead and giving the visitors early belief.
Chelsea attempted to steady themselves through long spells of possession, but their rhythm was repeatedly disrupted by Legia’s pressing and a disjointed attacking setup. Jadon Sancho, one of Chelsea’s sharpest creative outlets on the night, eventually crafted the moment the hosts needed. His threaded pass released Marc Cucurella in the 33rd minute, the Spaniard firing decisively into the corner to level the match at 1–1.
Just before half-time, Chelsea thought they had taken the lead when Cucurella bundled the ball in again, only for VAR to intervene and rule the goal out, leaving Stamford Bridge frustrated heading into the break.
The second half began with familiar nerves as Legia continued to threaten on set pieces. Their persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when defender Steve Kapuadi rose highest to steer a powerful header past Filip Jörgensen, restoring the visitors’ advantage and injecting fresh tension into the tie.
Maresca turned to his bench shortly after, introducing Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, and later Pedro Neto in an effort to reclaim control. Chelsea pressed for an equaliser, dominating possession with 67 percent and registering nine shots on target, but lacked the precision in the final third to break down Legia’s compact defensive block.
Despite the defeat, Chelsea never appeared in real danger of surrendering their aggregate advantage, and the final whistle confirmed their progression into the final four of the competition. Legia, disciplined and dangerous across both legs, departed the tournament with pride after handing Chelsea their first home defeat in the knockout rounds.
For Maresca and his squad, the performance raises familiar questions about consistency and defensive concentration, but with a semi-final now on the horizon, Chelsea’s European campaign remains firmly alive.
