Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca described the atmosphere during his team’s 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup as “strange” due to the large number of empty seats at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite the sparse crowd, Maresca praised his team’s professionalism and adaptability, highlighting their ability to focus on the game despite the unusual environment. The stadium, which has a capacity of 71,000, had only around 22,000 fans in attendance, with many seats empty.
Maresca noted that his team had prepared for the game expecting a different environment, but they were hopeful that their next match against Flamengo of Brazil in Philadelphia would draw a larger crowd. The Chelsea coach emphasized the importance of the players’ behavior and attitude, which he believed was key to their success in the tournament. Maresca’s comments reflect the challenges of playing in high-profile matches with low attendance, a issue that has been observed in other games of the Club World Cup.
