BLUES HAVE WILL TO WIN

But Sarri angry at sloppy Chelsea finishing

MAURIZIO SARRI admitted his players should have “killed the match” after they made hard work of victory in Greece.

Willian marked his first competitive game as skipper with the early winner in Chelsea’s Group L opener.

The only surprise was the Brazil star’s early effort was not the first goal of many. But the Blues’ wasteful finishing kept Sarri on edge until the final whistle.

Willian leading out Chelsea marked some turnaround. It came exactly four months after he edited a photo of the Blues’ FA Cup-winning celebrations by covering ex-boss Antonio Conte with trophy emojis and appeared to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge.

He looked inspired by the honour of wearing the armband, led by example, and ran the show against PAOK.

Sarri (with Andreas Christensen below, right) said: “I am really very happy with the three points, very happy with the performance, but I am not very happy with the result. “When it is time to kill the match, we have to kill the match.” Sarri dismissed the importance of the renowned Toumba Stadium atmosphere, though making themselves heard was probably a bigger problem than Chelsea’s hosts provided.

The piercing jeers that greeted first the Blues’ players and then the officials, when the ground was far from full, well ahead of kick-off, suggested there would be a hot reception awaiting them by the time it filled up.

PAOK’S ultras didn’t disappoint, lighting up the sky with flares and smoke bombs as the teams walked out. As for the hostility towards the officials, that is nothing new in these parts. PAOK’S president Ivan Savvidis was banned for three years last season after storming the pitch with a gun to confront a referee.

After one confirmed overnight attack on a couple of travelling supporters, the sight of an ambulance and fire engine in front of the 500-odd fans, who travelled despite the concerns communicated by the club, was also ominous.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck tried to cheer up supporters by dipping into his own pocket and splashing out €22 (£19) on crisps from one of the kiosks. And securing victory should have been a picnic for the Blues after Willian squeezed in a seventh-minute opener from Ross Barkley’s pass.

But Alvaro Morata blew a hat-trick of clear chances, before smashing one over he created all himself. Pedro then fluffed his lines after a brilliant pass from Marcos Alonso.

Willian, Alonso and Antonio Rudiger went close after the break and Pedro was denied by Alexandros Paschalakis’s flying save.

Pedro’s late shoulder injury (circle and far right) took some of the gloss off

Chelsea’s winning start.

OFF TO A FLYERA seventh-minute strike from Willian was enough to give Chelsea an opening night win