“STOP THE BLAME, HE IS NOT THE PROBLEM”, “He was the reason we Conceded that goal against Middlesbrough, he completed only 2 passes and Had less touches than the goal keeper Thiago Silva Caution Chelsea Fans As He Expose Those Behind The Team’s Failures
The Blues were wasteful in attack, and Hayden Hackney scored the game’s only goal, as the Championship side won the opening leg.
At full-time at the Riverside Stadium, the Chelsea squad was booed by their away fans as they walked over to applaud them.
Before leaving the pitch, Silva, 39, was seen chatting to a group of enraged Chelsea fans and attempting to calm them down.
‘Look, they had to go over,’ ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said on Sky Sports as he watched the situation occur.
‘Of course, the fans will be disappointed. But you always go to the supporters, and you have to make sure that you set things right in the following game.’
Quizzed about the scuffle after the match, Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino said: ‘I didn’t see what was going on. Fans should be frustrated, but there are still 90 minutes to play.’
When asked further about the incident during his post-match press conference, Pochettino stated that Chelsea fans were booing Middlesbrough fans.
‘Don’t be deceived by the fans’ reaction to Middlesbrough fans; they were amazing with us,’ Pochettino remarked.
‘Thiago and some players were attempting to calm our followers because I believe there was a conflict between the fans. Take cautious while communicating with the media or our fans. ‘Do not perplex our fans.’
Chelsea play Middlesbrough in the second leg of the semi-final on January 23 at Stamford Bridge in the hope of advancing to Wembley.
Chelsea’s best chance of winning silverware this season is likely to be the Carabao Cup, considering the club is not in Europe and is suffering in the Premier League, albeit they are still in the FA Cup after beating Preston on Saturday.
The other Carabao Cup semi-final pits Liverpool against Fulham, with the first leg taking place on Wednesday.
Chelsea, meanwhile, return to action on Saturday in a west London derby against Fulham.
