Chelsea secures victory amid VAR controversy at Turf Moor
Enzo Maresca has spoken for the first time following Chelsea’s win at Turf Moor, where a controversial handball left Burnley fans fuming, reports BritPanorama.
The incident occurred when Robert Sanchez passed the ball to Trevoh Chalobah, apparently restarting play after a brief pause. This episode prompted complaints from the Burnley side regarding a possible foul.
In response to the incident, Maresca acknowledged the chaotic moments inside the box, stating, “We conceded some chaos inside the box, but it’s part of the game.” Burnley’s manager, Scott Parker, expressed his belief that his team should have been awarded a penalty, saying, “At the time I didn’t even notice. I have just seen it back, it does look like a penalty. The ball’s live, the keeper’s rolled it.”
Parker further added, “I’m not sitting here being critical, but I suppose that is why we’ve got VAR. I don’t know whether they looked at it. It’s one of those things.” Chelsea’s match saw Pedro Neto scoring the opening goal with a remarkable diving header in the first half, followed by Enzo Fernandez sealing the victory with a late goal.
Maresca opted to rest Moises Caicedo and Wesley Fofana while substituting captain Reece James at half-time due to various tactical reasons. He described the match as “tough for many reasons”, referencing the challenges post-international break and adjusting to the playing conditions at Turf Moor.
He noted, “The way the players competed, another clean sheet – they had just one important chance in the second half. Overall I think we deserved to win the game and we are happy.” Chelsea’s side will now prepare to face Barcelona at home on Tuesday, followed by a match against Arsenal next weekend, as they look to build on their recent form of eight wins from ten games across all competitions.
Maresca expressed confidence in his squad’s performance, saying, “We are doing well. Today we could have done many, many things better for sure, but it was important to win the game. We are confident and we are ready to prepare for Tuesday and Sunday.” After three consecutive defeats, Burnley will be keen to regroup and enhance their attacking effectiveness, with Parker praising his team’s first-half performance despite the outcome.
As the league advances, the pressure mounts; how Chelsea will navigate their next challenges, while Burnley seeks to turn their fortunes, remains to be seen.
