UEFA Conference League: Legia Warsaw 0 – 3 Chelsea Match Review

Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea side have one foot in the UEFA Conference League Semi Finals following an emphatic and commanding victory against Legia Warsaw in Poland on Thursday.

Chelsea are a club widely seen as the leading candidates to win this season’s UEFA Conference League as a result of not only the quality available in their squad, but also the commanding performances that they have put in as a team in the competition this term so far, with the Blues having not lost a single game to date in Europe this season.

Following a League Phase campaign that saw them win all six of their games to earn what was a maximum total of no less than 18 points, they went straight into the Round of 16, where they took on Danish Giants FC Copenhagen, who the West London Club were able to comfortably beat 3 – 1 on aggregate after winning the first leg 2 – 1 and the second leg at Stamford Bridge 1 – 0.

Then came the draw for the Quarter Finals, and it saw Enzo Maresca and Chelsea drawn against Polish Giants Legia Warsaw over two legs, with the first being played in Poland. On Thursday evening, Chelsea took on their Polish counterparts, and in what was a simply superb performance from the Blues, they were able to comfortably beat Legia Warsaw 3 – 0 away from home to earn themselves a great and commanding advantage going into the second and final leg of this tie at Stamford Bridge next week.

The second leg of this 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Final clash will see Chelsea welcome Legia Warsaw to West London in order to seal their place in the Semi Finals with a victory in the English Capital.

Here, we are going to review all of the action from this game, where Chelsea was in full control and command of proceedings in the contest in Poland.

Match Highlights

Here, you can take a look at the highlights from this match and re-live Chelsea’s commanding, emphatic, and well deserved 3 – 0 victory in the first leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Finals away from home in Poland on Thursday evening.

Match Review

It was actually the hosts Legia Warsaw who had the first opportunities to score the opening goal of the game. In the first five minutes of the contest, Rafa Augustyniak had a header from close range blocked (2’), before their Brazilian forward Luquinhas then missed with an effort that went high and wide following a corner (3’).

Chelsea’s first chance of the contest came through England international Cole Palmer after he had received the ball from Jadon Sancho, but Palmer was unable to find the back of the net with his shot getting blocked by the Legia defence (10’). Christopher Nkunku then had an effort go high and wide after receiving the ball from the aforementioned Cole Palmer (15’).

Malo Gusto then had a shot get blocked just moments later (23’), and just before another chance came for the home side, this time through Ryoya Morishita whose right footed shot from close range flew wide of the right post after having received the ball from Maxi Oyedele via a fast counter attack (26’).

Blues central defender Tosin Adarabioyo forced a great save from Legia Warsaw Goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz thanks to a header that almost found its target. Tosin had met a great cross into the box from Chelsea Academy Graduate Reece James (28’). Adarabioyo and Palmer then both had efforts blocked within seconds of each other with just over half an hour of the game having gone.

And just after that, Tobiasz had to make another save when Chelsea central midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall forced the Polish Stopper into a great stop with the ball looking as if it was going to find the bottom left corner from just outside of the penalty area (34’).

The half time break did eventually come, but it was to be level at 0 – 0 between hosts Legia Warsaw and visitors Chelsea going into the second half of this first leg match of this 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Final tie.

Thankfully for Chelsea and Enzo Maresca, it did not take them long to find the much desired opening goal of the game, with Tyrique George, one of the latest and most promising graduates of the famed Chelsea academy, finding the bottom right corner of the Legia Warsaw net to score his very first senior goal for the West London Club (49’).

The second goal of the game for Maresca’s Blues came in quick succession, with Noni Madueke doubling their advantage less than ten minutes later to put his side well in command of this Quarter Final tie. The English forward found the bottom right corner from the centre of the box after having received the ball from Jadon Sancho, with this being an assist for the Manchester United loanee (57’).

The aforementioned Sancho then forced a great save from the Legia Warsaw Goalkeeper himself, but he managed to keep the score at 2 – 0 to their visitors (63’). Marc Cucurella then had his own shot blocked by the Legia Warsaw defence (65’).

Then, after Christopher Nkunku forced a great save from Kacper Tobiasz (68’), and after French central defender Benoit Badiashile missed the target for Chelsea (69’), the Blues were awarded a penalty kick after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was fouled by Patryk Kun in the penalty area. It was taken by Nkunku, but the Frenchman’s effort from the spot was saved well (70’).

Chelsea were not left disappointed for long, as the Blues did manage to add another goal to the scoreline to further extend their advantage to 3 – 0 following a very close range effort from Noni Madueke, who scored what was his second goal of the game, and it was Sancho who had found him again for what was his second assist (74’). Shumaira Mheuka had a shot blocked just ten minutes later (84’).

After standing strong against efforts from Ryoya Morishita (85’), Mateusz Szczepaniak (89’), and Patryk Kun (90’) for the hosts Legia Warsaw, visiting side Chelsea did manage to have one final opportunity to score of their own.

It came courtesy of an effort from ex-Leicester City player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall whose long range effort from outside of the penalty area was well saved by Legia’s Polish Stopper Tobiasz in stoppage time at the end of the second half (90+1’).

The final whistle then soon went to confirm what was a well deserved and very commanding 3 – 0 victory away from home in the first leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Final tie between Legia Warsaw and Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea in Poland on Thursday.

Chelsea will now be hosting Polish Giants Legia Warsaw at Stamford Bridge next week in London in what will be the second and final leg of this tie, with the Blues holding a highly significant three goal advantage, and Enzo Maresca’s side look set to confirm their place in the highly coveted Semi-Finals of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League.

Chelsea and Legia Warsaw will be going head to head in the Second Leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Finals at Stamford Bridge on Thursday 17th April 2025, with the kick-off coming at 8pm in West London.

Match Stats

Overall, it was Chelsea who dominated this particular football match in every single statistic. In terms of possession, the Blues had the most of it with no less than 72.1% of it compared to just 29.7% for hosts Legia.

As for shots on target, the visitors had the most with 10, with the Blues’ hosts having just one in the entire game. Legia Warsaw had 8 shots in total, whilst Chelsea had no less than an incredible 24 overall.

What Enzo Maresca said

Following this brilliant and emphatic 3 – 0 victory against Legia Warsaw, Chelsea’s Italian Head Coach Enzo Maresca had the following to say following the match (via the Official Chelsea Website):

“We planned the game to try to have our best players for this game, and to give a chance to rest players and recover energy.

“It was a professional performance and a good result. We were much better in the second half, for different reasons. We need to learn to play different times of games.

“When they sit back, you have to be quicker on the ball. You have to shoot from outside the box because they are all inside the box. If you don’t shoot, it’s difficult. The first goal came from Reece shooting outside the box, and Ty was there for the rebound.”

Excitement and anticipation is now building ahead of Chelsea’s continuing battle for Champions League Qualification via the Premier League with a game to come against relegation threatened Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge in what is going to be a 2pm kick-off on the afternoon of Sunday 13th April 2025.

Then comes the second and final leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Quarter Final tie against Poland’s Legia Warsaw in an 8 o’clock kick-off at Stamford Bridge.

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