Aftermath of Slavia Prague-Victory: Chelsea's sluggishness becoming a 'big problem' - Sarri Complains

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Chelsea Manager Maurizio Sarri, says, his side's slow starts to the second half of matches are becoming a "big problem", after they were forced to withstand a Slavia Prague fightback before reaching the Europa League semi-finals.


Chelsea were cruising at half-time with a four-goal aggregate lead before Petr Sevcik produced two sensational strikes.

The Blues also conceded early in the second half of their loss to Everton last month, as well in their victory against Cardiff on 31 March, while just last weekend Liverpool hit them with two goals in eight minutes at the start of the second period as they fell to a Premier League defeat at Anfield.

According to Sarri: "We played very well in the first half, but as usual in the last two months, we started very badly in the second half."

"Probably at the end of the first half we thought we had qualified...it was not true."

"At half-time I told them to start with the same application as they started the first, but we didn't do it. It's not easy to understand.

"We need a solution...but I'm really really happy because we are in a European semi-final which is very important to us."

Chelsea defeated Slavia Prague 1 - 0 in the Czech Republic.

The Blues will travel to Eintracht Frankfurt for the first leg of their last-four tie on Thursday, 2 May.