When the Blues defeated Los Angeles FC 2-0 in the early morning of June 17, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta welcomed only 22,000 spectators, despite the stadium's capacity of 71,000. The fact that Chelsea, the top team in England and the champion of the UEFA Conference League, fell into such a "slump" situation caused great controversy.
“The atmosphere was a bit strange, the stadium was almost empty, not full. Of course we are professionals, we have to adapt to the situation,” coach Maresca told the LA Times .
The Chelsea boss also highlighted the attitude and professionalism of his players during the match, while expressing hope for a bigger crowd in the next match against Brazilian side Flamengo in Philadelphia.
“We expect the next match to be more exciting, because Brazilian teams always bring a large number of fans,” he said. According to the explanation from the American media, Chelsea’s match took place at 3 p.m. (local time), on a working day, leaving the Mercedes-Benz Stadium less than a third full.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s Atlanta United, which typically attracts an average of nearly 45,000 spectators per game, is one of the most heavily supported clubs in the United States. Earlier, the opening match between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Al Ahly drew more than 60,000 spectators, while the match between Paris-Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena drew more than 80,000.
On the morning of June 17, Boca Juniors fans also created a passionate atmosphere in the match against Benfica at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami. LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo commented: "PSG vs Atletico had a large audience at the Rose Bowl, maybe because there are more fans in Los Angeles interested in this tournament, or because the match is attractive."
However, Cherundolo believes it is too early to judge the appeal of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ based on just one match. “Each match has a different audience, so we should not jump to conclusions. Let’s wait until the tournament is over to have a comprehensive view,” concluded the LAFC coach.
Source: https://znews.vn/vi-sao-tran-cua-chelsea-vang-khan-gia-post1561458.html
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