CHELSEA’S first Conference League match of the season was marred by violent scenes from Gent fans at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues hosted the Belgian outfit in the League Phase and won 4-2 with a convincing display by Enzo Maresca’s men.
However, travelling fans caused chaos both inside and outside of the stadium before the game even began.
The visitors filled the plush streets of west London with flares and loud chants as they made their way into the ground.
Fans waved scarves over their heads and blocked the middle of the road as cyclists tried to weave between the crowd while buses were completely halted.
And when inside, the carnage continued when some fans tore up chairs in the stands and threw them away.
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The Chelsea fans were left further horrified when the Bobby Tambling banner from the upper tier was torn down.
And shocking aerial footage showed the full extent of the damage done.
Almost entire rows of seats have been ripped off in what poses as a shameful site.
Chelsea, though, had a smooth evening on the pitch as they cruised to their first ever Conference League victory.
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The hosts opened the scoring after just 12 minutes with Renato Veiga’s first ever goal for the club and doubled their lead one minute into the second half with Pedro Neto.
Gent hit back with Tsuyoshi Watanabe just four minutes later but Christopher Nkunku put the game away on 63 minutes.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also scored his first ever Chelsea goal only seven minutes later.
And Wouter Vrancken’s side grabbed another consolation goal with Omri Gandelman in the 90th-minute mark.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
