Chelsea Draw Brentford After Late Equalizer, Maresca Highlights Defensive Errors

Chelsea FC, under head coach Enzo Maresca, drew 2-2 with Brentford after conceding a stoppage-time goal by substitute Fabio Carvalho, who scored four minutes after coming on. Maresca expressed frustration over the team's inability to manage the game better in the final minutes, emphasizing the need to slow the game down and avoid transitions and set pieces, which Brentford exploited to score. Despite a strong second-half performance and goals from Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo, Chelsea conceded in the 93rd minute due to defensive lapses, particularly from a long throw-in. Maresca also highlighted the challenges of managing players recently returning from injury or new arrivals, such as Wes Fofana, Jorrel Hato, and Facundo Buonanotte, especially with a demanding schedule ahead. The coach defended his lineup choices, noting the importance of preserving key players for their upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich. Overall, Maresca felt his team deserved to win based on their second-half display but regretted dropping two points due to the late equalizer.