Chelsea endured a difficult pre-season encounter after Celtic took them apart in a pre-season friendly in Indiana on Saturday.
After putting four goals past Manchester City on Wednesday, Brendan Rodgers watched his Celtic players showcase their attacking might once more against a much stronger Chelsea team.
It needs to be noted that, from a fitness standpoint, Celtic are further ahead than Enzo Maresca’s side, but the gulf in quality was still pretty evident.
Chelsea opened their pre-season account recently by recording a 2-2 draw against League One side Wrexham – Chelsea fans all spotted one thing about Marc Guiu after that game.
But this latest showing was far more embarrassing, with Matt O’Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi, Luis Palma and Mikey Johnston all getting on the scoresheet and putting their team 4-0.
Christopher Nkunku did score a consolation from the spot, but the newly appointed Maresca still had to face the heat of the fans and the media after the game.
The promotion-winning manager with Leicester City wanted to make it clear that ‘it was easy to see’ the gulf between the two when it came to fitness levels.
But what was also a talking after the match was the Premier League side’s tactics and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez kicking it long.
Maresca explained that Chelsea’s current number one was told to do that because of Celtic’s tactics, as he told Football London.
Celtic’s tactics against Chelsea
“Yeah, we told him to (Sanchez to kick it long) because they were marking us,” said Maresca. “It was easy to see today the differences between us and them physically.”
Celtic sort out goalkeeping situation, but problems for Chelsea
The experienced Kasper Schmeichel started in between the sticks against Chelsea, with Celtic’s other new signing Viljami Sinisalo coming off the bench.
Whilst the champions of Scotland have sorted out their goalkeeping situation, the same can’t be said for those at Stamford Bridge.
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Back in February, sources told HITC that Chelsea could sell their £25 million star Sanchez – with the view of bringing in a new shot-stopper.
And that individual could be coming in sooner rather than later.
Sources have told HITC that Maresca has got his wish because Chelsea have agreed £20 million deal for Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
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