Alonso to the rescue but Sarri struggles
WHen Maurizio Sarri arrived at Chelsea with the promise of freewheeling football, smash-and-grab evenings such as these were supposed to be consigned to a distant past.
In the Czech capital, this was a stodgy, impotent showing from a Chelsea team that may yet need to win the europa League to guarantee a return to the Champions League next season.
For much of this contest, survival is all Chelsea managed. They were indebted to two superb saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga, who clawed away a shot from Ibrahim Traore and then rectified his own flap at a cross to dramatically parry Jan Boril’s goal-bound effort.
And then, in the 86th minute, Chelsea struck. It was only their second strike on target but it was a priceless goal that represents a giant leap towards the final four.
It was a peach, too, as Willian curled a sumptuous ball from the right flank and Marcos Alonso stooped to glance in the header.
‘In the past, when we were in trouble, we conceded immediately a goal,’ Sarri said. ‘ Tonight we fought and suffered without conceding. It is a step forward for us.’
This was, by some way, Chelsea’s most challenging night in the europa League this season.
They did not test the opposing goalkeeper until the 59th minute, when Antonio Rudiger drove low. Willian, the best Chelsea player on the night, then fired wide.
Both those moments transpired following the arrival of eden Hazard, rested from the start but called upon by his manager to inject his team with some semblance of pace and purpose.
‘If it was 1-0 to us at half-time, I would not have used Hazard,’ Sarri admitted.
Shorn of Hazard’s wizardry, Chelsea were ponderous in attack and lacked purpose from midfield, where Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic both operated at a snail’s pace.
If this was a glimpse of a future without Hazard, it did not make for pleasant viewing.
Hazard instils instant trepidation into opponents, showcased when Slavia’s Vladimir Coufal cynically grabbed him by the waist and refused to let go after being spun on the halfway line.
When Slavia pulled Chelsea out of the hat at the quarter-final draw in nyon, their players responded in their club’s dressing room with the vigour of a non-League side striking top- flight gold in the FA Cup. Opportunity arose and Slavia sought to cherish every moment.
Sandwiched between Monday night’s victory over West Ham and Sunday’s visit to Anfield, this trip was always likely to be heavy going for Chelsea.
In a sluggish opening period, such fears seemed were realised. On the terraces, the home support bobbed up and down behind the goal. On the pitch, Slavia played with the greater intensity, pinning Chelsea back.
Imbued by the confidence of overcoming Sevilla in the previous round and safely top of their domestic league, Slavia played with freedom and courage.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, unlikely to start at Anfield, was curiously left out of the Chelsea squad entirely, despite being fit. Sarri afterwards insisted a rest was required.
Chelsea made a plodding start but early signs of life came on the left flank from Willian, who twice outwitted his marker.
Yet Slavia offered the more persistent threat. Coufal headed wide and Petr Cevcik powered a strike into the midriff of Kepa.
Willian responded by striking the crossbar for Chelsea’s first shot in anger but his team- mates remained inhibited.
Olivier Giroud cut an exasperated figure as the lone frontman, flapping his hands first when Willian failed to find him and then when Cesar Azpilicueta overhit a simple pass for Pedro.
It was little surprise when Willian ultimately produced the decisive moment, laying a cross on a plate for Alonso’s late winner.