MUNICH, Germany — In the unforgiving glare of the Allianz Arena, where Chelsea’s long-awaited Champions League return turned into a sobering 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich, Enzo Maresca emerged as the unlikely champion of his most maligned player. Even as social media erupted with vitriol toward right-back Malo Gusto for his errant pass that gifted Harry Kane the killer third goal, the Italian head coach showered unbridled praise on the 22-year-old Frenchman, hailing him as the “saviour of the match.” “Without Malo tonight, it could have been a humiliation – five, six, who knows?” Maresca declared in his post-match press conference, his voice steady amid the sting of a night that exposed the Blues’ vulnerabilities. “He was partly at fault for that one moment, yes, but his energy, his recoveries – he saved us from something far worse.”
Bayern’s clinical dismantling – an own-goal deflection off Trevoh Chalobah in the 20th minute from Michael Olise’s cross, Kane’s opportunistic strike in the 63rd off Gusto’s misplaced pass, and a late sealer from Serge Gnabry – left Chelsea chasing shadows for much of the 90 minutes. Cole Palmer’s curling equalizer in the 38th, holding off Joshua Kimmich before rifling into the top corner, offered brief hope, but the second half belonged to Vincent Kompany’s hosts, who peppered Robert Sanchez with 18 shots to Chelsea’s seven. Possession tilted 62-38 in Bayern’s favor, and their high press – led by Jamal Musiala and Kingsley Coman – suffocated Chelsea’s build-up, forcing 14 turnovers in the attacking third. For a side fresh off a Club World Cup triumph in July, this was a rude reintroduction to Europe’s elite, with Maresca admitting post-match: “We knew it would be tough, but we lacked that final edge.”
Yet, amid the recriminations – Nicolas Jackson, on loan at Bayern from Chelsea, earning ironic cheers from the home crowd as a halftime sub – Maresca’s focus zeroed in on Gusto. The £30m signing from Lyon in 2023 has endured a turbulent sophomore season: two red cards in the Premier League last term, a lingering hamstring issue that sidelined him for three months, and now this high-profile gaffe that turned a 1-1 deadlock into a rout. X exploded post-whistle, with #GustoOut trending in the UK (12,000 posts in an hour), users like @CFC_Daily slamming his “schoolboy pass” and @BlueArmyLad calling for Reece James to reclaim the spot permanently. “Fans dragging him? That’s unfair,” Maresca shot back, his tone protective. “Malo put in 12 tackles and interceptions tonight – the most on the pitch. He was our out-ball when Bayern pressed us senseless. One error doesn’t define him; his fight does.”
Gusto’s night was a microcosm of Chelsea’s resilience under Maresca: the wiry defender covered 11.7km, won 7/10 duels, and launched three counter-attacks that troubled Dayot Upamecano. His misplaced 58th-minute pass – a lofted ball intended for Noni Madueke that Joshua Kimmich intercepted – led to Kane’s curled finish, Bayern’s 500th Champions League goal. “I take responsibility,” Gusto told Sky Sports in a pitchside interview, his face etched with regret. “But the gaffer was right – we kept fighting, and that’s what matters.” Maresca, drawing on his Leicester City days where he molded young talents like James Maddison, elaborated: “He’s 22, learning in the biggest arena. Tonight, he was partly at fault, but without his legs covering for the midfield lapses – Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández were overrun – we’d have conceded more. He’s our saviour, not the scapegoat.”
The praise landed amid broader squad soul-searching. Palmer, the £42.5m gem who’s now directly involved in 11 goals this season, was lauded for his strike but criticized for fading post-interval, managing just 42 touches. Marc Cucurella’s return from suspension steadied the left, but Chalobah’s own-goal – a cruel deflection off Olise’s low drive – drew sympathy rather than scorn. Maresca reserved special ire for the team’s second-half drop-off: “We chased the game too reactively. Bayern are title favorites for a reason – Kompany’s got them purring.” Kompany, pre-match, had tipped his cap to Maresca’s “remarkable job” at Stamford Bridge, citing Chelsea’s Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs as proof of his tactical nous. Post-game, the Belgian echoed the sentiment: “Enzo’s side has fire – Gusto’s energy showed that.”
Chelsea’s return to the Champions League – their first since the 2022-23 quarter-finals – was billed as a statement after a summer of shrewd recruitment: Joao Pedro from Brighton (£55m) bolstering the attack, and Giorgi Mamardashvili anchoring goal on loan from Valencia. But with injuries to Liam Delap (hamstring, out four weeks) and Roméo Lavia (knock), depth was tested. Maresca rotated heavily post-Brentford draw, benching James and starting Pedro Neto wide, but the experiment faltered against Bayern’s blitz. Opta stats underscored the gulf: Chelsea’s pressing intensity at 68% efficiency, down from 82% in their 2-0 preseason win over Leverkusen, while Bayern’s 2.1 xG dwarfed the Blues’ 0.8.
Fan reaction split along familiar lines. On Reddit’s r/chelseafc, a thread titled “Gusto: Villain or Victim?” garnered 4,200 upvotes, with u/KingPalmer10 defending: “Maresca’s spot on – without Gusto’s recoveries, Kane scores a hat-trick.” Critics like u/BlueIsTheColour countered: “One good game doesn’t erase the errors; James back in ASAP.” X sentiment leaned negative, but Maresca’s backing – “He’s our future right-back, full stop” – quelled some flames, with @CFCInsider’s clip of the quote hitting 15,000 likes.
As Chelsea lick wounds ahead of Sunday’s clash with Tottenham, Maresca’s loyalty to Gusto signals his man-management ethos: tough love wrapped in belief. “The fans drag now, but they’ll chant his name soon,” he predicted. In Munich’s chill, where dreams of European glory reignited only to flicker, Gusto’s redemption – and Maresca’s gamble – feels like the spark Chelsea needs. Without him, as the boss said, the scoreline could have echoed Liverpool’s infamous 7-0 from three years prior. For now, the Frenchman stands tall, fault and all, as Chelsea’s unlikely hero in defeat.
