Enzo Maresca hits out at Chelsea fans for Stamford Bridge ‘environment’ that allowed Ipswich take a two-goal lead in draw – as Blues boss believes his side ‘lost confidence’ due to atmosphere

Enzo Maresca risked a backlash from Chelsea fans by suggesting the ‘environment’ they created at Stamford Bridge helped Ipswich take the 2-0 lead from which his Champions League chasers could never fully recover. 

The visitors, playing to delay their relegation from the Premier League, scored their second goal immediately from a Chelsea goal kick which Maresca’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez launched long. 

The home fans had voiced their frustrations with their side persisting with playing short passes from the back prior to that as Sanchez abandoned the primary plan amid a pressurised atmosphere. 

Ipswich won possession from the long ball and broke forward to score through Ben Johnson within seconds, with Chelsea only able to come back to draw 2-2 rather than get the win they required to keep the upper hand on their top-five rivals. 

This result meant Chelsea have only taken a single point from the six available against Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich. 

Speaking afterwards, Maresca said: ‘We lost a little bit of confidence, because we conceded, probably because of the environment,’ Maresca said.

Speaking afterwards, Maresca said: ‘We lost a little bit of confidence, because we conceded, probably because of the environment’

Julio Enciso opened the scoring for the Tractor Boys at Stamford Bridge in the 19′ minute

‘This is the moment that you have to continue doing the right things and don’t change the plan. 

‘We are a team that most of the time, our goal kick will start from playing short. The second goal, we decide to play long, because the environment was there, and we conceded. You have to be strong, you have to continue with the things that you are doing.’ 

This was not the first time this season that Maresca had suggested the home atmosphere could improve. 

Chelsea can still make it into the Europa League by winning the Conference League, in which they are heavy favourites, though their priority is still to make it into the Champions League via their domestic campaign. 

Maresca added on Chelsea’s supporters: ‘We are stronger with our fans. We are a better team. It’s up to them to decide the way.’ 

Expanding on his ‘environment’ issue, Maresca said: ‘For sure, in the moment that we are in a difficult moment, you can expect that they are not happy, but in the same moment, probably it’s the moment that the players, especially the players that are inside the pitch, probably need more support.’