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Chelsea responded from their embarrassing mauling at Manchester City with a jittery 2-1 win over Malmo in tonight\u2019s Europa League last-32 first leg in Sweden.<\/p>\nChelsea responded from their embarrassing mauling at Manchester City with a jittery 2-1 win over Malmo in tonight\u2019s Europa League last-32 first leg in Sweden.<\/p>\n
The Blues\u2019 6-0 loss to City was their worst defeat in 28 years and heaped mounting scrutiny on head coach Maurizio Sarri, whose concerns were eased, at least temporarily, by Ross Barkley after 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
Olivier Giroud netted his fifth goal in six Europa League appearances with a neat back-heel to make it 2-0, but at present nothing is straightforward at Chelsea.<\/p>\n
What should have been a routine return in next week\u2019s second leg resulting in straightforward passage to the last 16 will now be a nervy affair after Anders Christiansen\u2019s strike 10 minutes from time.<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s two prior matches against Swedish opposition in Sweden ended in goalless draws, but they did win the 1998 Cup Winners\u2019 Cup final against Stuttgart in Stockholm. The winning goal scored by Gianfranco Zola, now Sarri\u2019s assistant.<\/p>\n
The Europa League \u2013 which absorbed the Cup Winners\u2019 Cup when it was formed \u2013 could offer a route into next season\u2019s Champions League, if Chelsea win. There are many ifs for Chelsea at present.<\/p>\n
The next two weeks are critical for the Blues and Sarri. Manchester United\u2019s visit in the FA Cup on Monday is followed by the return with Malmo, the February 24 Carabao Cup final with Manchester City and a Premier League clash with Tottenham.<\/p>\n
Sarri maintains Chelsea can win the season\u2019s first silverware, despite the humiliating reverse to Pep Guardiola\u2019s men, which delighted Malmo boss and former City striker Uwe Rosler.<\/p>\n
Malmo play in the same sky blue and white colours as City and the intensity of the Swedes\u2019 start appeared to surprise Chelsea, who looked rattled.<\/p>\n
There was a raucous atmosphere for Malmo\u2019s first game since the mid-December victory over Besiktas which secured their place in the knockout stages, due to the domestic winter off-season.<\/p>\n
Boos and a raft of pink flares met a Chelsea side showing five changes, with Eden Hazard, N\u2019Golo Kante and Gonzalo Higuain kept in reserve.<\/p>\n
Off the field, home and away supporters threw drinks over the Perspex partition which separated them as fan behavior was again called into question during a Chelsea fixture.<\/p>\n
Blues supporters were not the sole perpetrators on this occasion \u2013 unlike in Budapest in December, where alleged anti-Semitic chanting prompted a UEFA disciplinary investigation which could yet result in a partial closure of Stamford Bridge, as a minimum penalty if found proven. And UEFA is sure to take a dim view of Malmo\u2019s flares, too.<\/p>\n
Chelsea\u2019s attempts to stick to Sarri\u2019s possession-based method have caused them plenty of problems and they frequently struggled to string passes together here.<\/p>\n
But the Blues took the lead in straightforward style as Malmo\u2019s defense erred when Pedro crossed.<\/p>\n
The ball reached Barkley 10 yards out and the midfielder dug the ball out from under his feet and prodded in.<\/p>\n
Barkley\u2019s first European goal was also Chelsea\u2019s first away goal of 2019, after four matches without one.<\/p>\n
Malmo continued to cause Chelsea problems, particularly from set-pieces, but Kepa Arrizabalaga\u2019s first save saw Soren Rieks denied early in the second half.<\/p>\n
Chelsea struck a second against the run of play. Willian darted down the left and crossed for Giroud to flick in at the near post after 58 minutes.<\/p>\n
It was the France World Cup-winning striker\u2019s first goal since his strike at Vidi in Budapest in mid-December, albeit just two of his 10 appearances in the intervening period had been starts.<\/p>\n
Barkley was denied by Malmo goalkeeper Johan Dahlin and a Pedro effort deflected wide before Hazard was introduced, followed by Kante.<\/p>\n
But it was Malmo who scored, as David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta were pulled out of position and Markus Rosenberg threaded a fine pass to Christiansen.<\/p>\n
The midfielder held off Mateo Kovacic and finished expertly to add to Sarri\u2019s anxieties.<\/p>\n
Two Malmo fans encroached on to the pitch at the full-time whistle and one hugged Hazard, releasing his grip only when he was given the Chelsea ace\u2019s shirt. That is another incident which will attract UEFA scrutiny.<\/p>\n