Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has criticised the club's hierarchy after the Blues were knocked out of the Champions League with an 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking on TNT Sports following the 3-0 second-leg loss at Stamford Bridge, Cole said the result was a 'real leveller' for the club.
PSG took the lead within six minutes when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia capitalised on a mistake from Mamadou Sarr to score past Rob Sanchez. Bradley Barcola doubled the lead after 15 minutes, and Senny Mayulu added a third in the second half to seal a chastening night for the hosts.
The aggregate defeat is the joint-heaviest in Chelsea's European history. Cole questioned the club's strategy and direction, stating: 'There’s a lot of money being spent and we need to really think of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. As a football club, you’ve got to go football club first, not business first.'
Cole insisted the problems are not the fault of head coach Liam Rosenior, who has 'just come through the door'. Fellow pundit Owen Hargreaves suggested that winning the FA Cup and finishing in the top five would salvage the season, but noted tough fixtures remain against Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Chelsea currently sit sixth in the Premier League, one point behind fifth-placed Liverpool, with eight games remaining. They face Everton on Saturday and Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-finals on 4 April.
