Enzo Maresca Reacts as Chelsea Crash Out of FA Cup Following 2-1 Defeat to Brighton, Extending Winless Away Streak

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his disappointment following the team's 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round at the Amex Stadium on February 8, 2025. He remarked, "Being out of the FA Cup, it's a shame. No doubt." 

The match began with Chelsea taking an early lead, courtesy of an own goal by Brighton's goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the 5th minute. However, Brighton equalized through Georginio Rutter's header and secured victory with Kaoru Mitoma's decisive goal in the 57th minute. 

Reflecting on the team's performance, Maresca emphasized the importance of maintaining narrow leads, stating, "I said to the players already weeks ago and I said it again tonight, we need to learn how to win sometimes a game 1-0. Big clubs, they do that." 

Despite the setback, Maresca found a silver lining, noting, "If there is something positive, we can be focused on the Premier League and the Conference League. Hopefully we can continue our journey there." 

This defeat extends Chelsea's winless streak in away fixtures and intensifies scrutiny on Maresca's leadership. Conversely, Brighton's manager, Fabian Hürzeler, praised his team's resilience, especially following their previous heavy defeat to Nottingham Forest.