Chelsea bolstered their Champions League qualification hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over struggling Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, thanks to a spectacular long-range strike from Marc Cucurella.
The Spanish defender’s stunning effort in the second half lifted Chelsea above Manchester City into fourth place in the Premier League, putting them two points clear in the race for a top-four finish.
It was only Chelsea’s fourth win in their last 12 league games, but it came as a much-needed response to manager Enzo Maresca’s call for his team to win all their remaining home fixtures to secure a Champions League spot.
Despite securing the three points, Chelsea’s performance remained unconvincing. Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty, extending his seven-game run without a goal or assist, while Leicester came close to punishing Chelsea’s defensive lapses.
Maresca, who guided Leicester to promotion last season before departing for Chelsea, watched as his former side edged closer to relegation. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Foxes have now lost five straight league games and are six points from safety.
Before kickoff, Chelsea celebrated their 120th anniversary with club legends Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Dennis Wise, Kerry Dixon, and Ron Harris taking to the pitch. However, the match itself was far from a celebratory affair.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Victor Kristiansen clumsily brought down Jadon Sancho, but Palmer’s effort was brilliantly saved by Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen—his first career penalty miss.
Leicester nearly capitalised moments later when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez completely misjudged James Justin’s cross, leading to a defensive scramble that saw Tosin Adarabioyo’s clearance rebound off the woodwork.
With Chelsea struggling to break down Leicester’s defence, Cucurella stepped up on the hour mark with a thunderous 25-yard strike into the bottom corner, sealing the win and momentarily easing the pressure on Maresca’s side.
Chelsea will need to improve if they are to maintain their top-four spot, but this victory provides a crucial boost in their push for Champions League qualification.
