Chelsea took on Djurgarden in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night with a place in the final all-but sealed
21:24, 08 May 2025Updated 21:37, 08 May 2025
Fans of Djurgaarden climb between stewards into the away section at Stamford Bridge.
Fans of Djurgaarden climb between stewards into the away section at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's Europa Conference League clash with Djurgarden was marred by chaos as around 100 Djurgarden broke through the segregation lines after sneaking into the Chelsea section.
Over 1,000 other supporters from Sweden bunched up in two separate areas of the West Stand, usually prime real estate for the Blues' faithful.
Before kick-off, Djurgarden's crowd was kept at bay outside the turnstile gates by the Met Police, who only allowed them to trickle through in small packs.
But roughly 30 minutes before the starting whistle, some Swedish infiltrators in the home sections were spotted hopping over and ducking under the blue mesh that was meant to keep the opposing fans apart.
Once the match started, Djurgarden enthusiasts stood unified in the Westview zone, with chants of "F*** you, f*** you Chelsea" echoing around the iconic ground.
Police officers in riot gear observe Djurgarden supporters at Stamford Bridge.
Police officers in riot gear observe Djurgarden supporters at Stamford Bridge.
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As the first half unfolded, security staff beefed-up presence in the contentious area, even setting up a secondary barrier. In the designated away section, the coppers geared up in riot equipment stepped in to prevent further fan migration, reports the Mirror.
Enzo Maresca's top-tier titans secured a dominating 4-1 victory in the opening match, putting one foot in the final showdown of Wroclaw set for later this month, with either Real Betis or Fiorentina waiting in the wings.
After a sluggish start, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock for Chelsea with a left-footed belter that ricocheted off the post just six minutes before half-time.
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With the match practically in the bag, head coach Maresca made a slew of changes to his squad. His focus will now quickly shift to Sunday's journey to St James' Park, where a spot in next season's Champions League is still up for grabs.
Chelsea then roll out the welcome mat for Manchester United at the Bridge for the final home game of the season on Friday week.
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They'll then round off the campaign with a visit to Nottingham Forest on May 25, where Forest could still be scrapping for a top-five finish.