João Pedro scores with a bicycle kick but Chelsea loses to Forest and gets complicated in the Premier League

Chelsea suffered a resounding 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest this Monday (4), in the middle of Stamford Bridge. The result, valid for the 35th round of Premier League, leaves the London club in an alarming position on the leaderboard. João Pedro scored a brilliant goal in stoppage time, but the individual brilliance was not enough to erase the poor collective performance. Igor Jesus, with a penalty, and Awoniyi, twice, built the score for the visitors. The fans present protested with loud boos after the final whistle.

Blues’s situation in the search for European competitions became mathematically and technically improbable after the stumble at home. Estacionado in ninth place with 48 points, the team led by Mauricio Pochettino sees the distance to their rivals increasing. The only statistical relief was avoiding the negative record of six consecutive matches without scoring goals. Contudo, the offensive production was once again a reason for criticism, as the goal of honor only came when a large part of the public had already left the stadium.

Nottingham Forest dominates early game with Igor Jesus’s brilliance

The confrontation started disastrously for the home team, who saw Nottingham Forest open the scoring after just two minutes. Awoniyi took advantage of a precise cross from the right wing and headed it firmly past the goalkeeper Robert Sánchez. Chelsea’s defensive disorganization was evident afterwards, when Malo Gusto committed a foul inside the area on Awoniyi himself. Aos 11 minutes in, the Brazilian Igor Jesus took responsibility for the charge and extended the advantage.

Forest’s strategy was efficient in exploiting the opponent’s speed in transitions and emotional instability. Mesmo with greater possession of the ball, the Londoners were unable to break through the defensive blockade set up by coach Nuno Espírito Santo. The third goal, which sealed the victory, occurred seven minutes into the second half. Morgan Gibbs-White was released deep and served Awoniyi, who just pushed it into the nets. Foi is the coup de grace to Chelsea’s pretensions of an immediate reaction.

Choques heads and medical concerns mark the match in Londres

The technical aspect of the game ended up divided with worrying scenes involving the physical integrity of the athletes. In the first half, young Jesse Derry, a promise from Chelsea, suffered a very strong head clash with Abbott. The impact left the player apparently unconscious on the pitch, generating immediate silence in the stadium. Derry was taken off on a stretcher to applause and taken for urgent medical evaluation.

In the second stage, the concussion protocol had to be activated again by the referee and medical teams. Goalkeeper Robert Sánchez and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White also bumped heads in an aerial dispute in the small area. Ambos were replaced immediately, following Federação Inglesa’s strict guidelines for this type of trauma. Essas interruptions contributed to the long injury time, which allowed Chelsea to reduce the score late.

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João Pedro scores a great goal but the fight for a European place becomes difficult

Apesar from the negative collective result, striker João Pedro was his team’s lone highlight in the match. Ele had already scored in the 27th minute of the first half, but the video referee (VAR) confirmed the offside. The award for persistence came at 47 in the second stage. The Brazilian dominated the chest and executed a perfect bicycle kick, sending the ball into the opposite corner. The plastic move only served to mitigate the goal drought that haunted the Blues attack.

• João Pedro: 1 goal (bike)
• Igor Jesus: 1 goal (penalty)
• Awoniyi: 2 goals
• Cartões yellow: Malo Gusto and Abbott
• Substituições by injury: Jesse Derry, Robert Sánchez and Gibbs-White

The math for Chelsea to reach Champions League now involves external and unlikely factors. The team can no longer reach G5, which is the guaranteed direct classification zone at the moment. The hope lies in the possibility of an extra spot, which would be opened if Aston Villa beats Europa League. Mesmo in this hypothetical scenario, Blues needs to surpass Bournemouth, which adds 52 points, in addition to Brighton and Brentford. With just three rounds remaining, the London team’s margin for error is non-existent.

Decisive Calendário defines future of Chelsea in the season

The closure of Premier League reserves clashes that could once and for all seal the club’s absence from continental tournaments in the next round. The atmosphere behind the scenes is one of pressure on the board and the coaching staff, especially due to the lack of regularity against teams at the bottom of the table. The setback for Nottingham Forest, who are fighting relegation, is seen internally as a breaking point in the fans’ patience.

Preparation for the next game should focus on recovering injured athletes and adjusting the last defensive line. The fragility demonstrated in the first minutes of each half has cost Pochettino’s planning dearly. If results don’t appear in the final weeks, Chelsea runs the risk of ending the season in the second half of the table. Isso would represent a considerable sporting and financial failure, given the investment made in the squad during recent transfer windows.