Chelsea manager supports goalkeeper selection following significant mistake against PSG.
PARIS — Chelsea’s head coach Liam Rosenior defended his choice of Filip Jørgensen, despite the goalkeeper’s significant mistake in Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 matchup.
Rosenior made a surprising decision by starting Jørgensen in goal instead of the regular first-choice Robert Sánchez, but the decision proved detrimental as Jørgensen was responsible for the goal that put PSG ahead 3-2.
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Midfielders Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo both expressed their frustration towards Jørgensen on the field, with Fernández throwing the ball at the goalkeeper in annoyance, yet Rosenior supported his choice to field the Denmark international.
“Sánchez or Jørgensen? They possess different strengths,” Rosenior stated to reporters. “Rob is exceptional with crosses and an excellent shot-stopper.
“Filip has remarkable attributes as well. One of the reasons we triumphed at Aston Villa was our composure in possession.
“However, players occasionally make errors. Filip is not the first to make a mistake; that is part of football, but he has acknowledged it in the dressing room.
“The fourth goal from [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia was an incredible strike; no goalkeeper in the world could stop that.”
Three goals in the last 16 minutes allowed European champions PSG to establish a strong lead ahead of next Tuesday’s return match at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea appeared poised to return to London with a 2-2 draw, but two goals from Kvaratskhelia and one from Vitinha overwhelmed Rosenior’s team, leaving the coach lamenting his squad’s struggles to cope with adversity.
“The final 15-20 minutes were chaotic, but that falls on me,” Rosenior remarked. “We must improve our response to setbacks, remain calm and composed, which did not occur.
“It’s a tough one because we were competitive in the match for 75 minutes. We have made it very challenging for ourselves, and the fifth goal is particularly painful.”
“In the Premier League, you don’t encounter players like [Ousmane] Dembélé, [Bradley] Barcola, [Désiré] Doué, Kvaratskhelia. PSG is an exceptional team; they are the reigning European champions, but we need to manage the game more effectively.
“We needed to maintain our composure. Two goals make it achievable, but three goals make it quite difficult now, though not impossible.”
