Chelsea sweep Juventus aside in Champions League semi-final first leg
Chelsea took a major step toward another UEFA Champions League Final after a commanding 5–2 victory over Juventus at Drogba Arena. In front of a raucous crowd of 82,381, the English champions produced a performance full of pace, precision, and creativity — with Joseph Haigh starring as the orchestrator-in-chief.
O’Sullivan and Valera fire Chelsea ahead
The home side struck early as Nacho Valera rifled a low shot into the bottom corner after just two minutes. Kieran O’Sullivan doubled the lead midway through the first half with a powerful close-range effort following a pinpoint cross from Haigh.
Juventus briefly threatened a comeback when Billy Lasprilla volleyed home from a set piece on 32 minutes. But Chelsea restored their two-goal cushion soon after the interval as O’Sullivan converted a penalty in the 48th minute after a VAR review confirmed a handball in the box.
Pele and Rustignoli seal a dominant win
The Blues’ relentless attacking continued, and Pele added a fourth with a low, skidding strike from the edge of the box on 62 minutes. Francesco Rustignoli then powered home a header from a corner to make it 5–2 and give Chelsea a commanding aggregate advantage heading into the second leg in Turin.
Joseph Haigh was in magnificent form throughout, recording three assists, nine key passes, and 100% pass completion in a near-flawless performance. The winger’s vision and composure underlined why he’s regarded as one of the finest creators in Europe.
Dimario: “We showed real maturity”
Manager Calin Dimario was full of praise for his side’s focus and intensity after the match:
“It was one of those nights where our quality shone through. Juventus are a great side, but we stayed composed, created our chances, and showed real maturity in how we managed the game.”
Chelsea’s control was total — they produced 31 shots to Juventus’ 5, with an expected goals (xG) tally of 4.68 and 90% pass accuracy. The win puts them in pole position to reach yet another European final under Dimario’s reign.
Final Score: Chelsea 5–2 Juventus
Goals: Valera (2’), O’Sullivan (24’, 48’ pen), Pele (62’), Rustignoli (72’); Lasprilla (32’, 54’)
Player of the Match: Joseph Haigh (Chelsea) — 3 assists, 9 key passes, 9.7 rating
Category: Match Report, UEFA Champions League