Chelsea eased to a commanding 4-1 win against Panathinaikos on an emotional night in Athens as Joao Felix scored twice to maintain their perfect start in the Conference League.
It was a poignant occasion for the Greek side who mourned the death of defender George Baldock, a tragedy made to feel all the more immediate by the fact the 31-year-old was in the starting XI the last time the team played at home on October 6, three days before his passing.
Prior to kick-off, a live band gave a rendition of David Bowie’s ‘Star Man’ before the stadium observed a moment’s silence in his memory. Paying their own tribute, the visitors posed with a Chelsea shirt bearing Baldock’s name and number 32.
Felix scored after 22 minutes to quieten the Olympic Stadium before Maresca’s side let rip in the second half, scoring three times in the first 15 minutes after the interval to blow the home side away and lay bear a chasmic gulf in class.
Mykhailo Mudryk answered Maresca’s pre-match challenge to finally show his value with a well-taken header before Felix got his second and Christopher Nkunku slotted in a penalty.
Former Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri tapped home a second-half consolation.
Chelsea had controlled large parts of their 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on Sunday, but with an entirely changed lineup in Athens they struggled in the first 20 minutes to land the same authority.
They might have fallen behind in the second minute, Croatia international Tin Jedvaj thumping a header into the ground from Filip Mladenovic’s free-kick, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen’s reflexes denying the hosts.
Home fans had drummed up a raucous, febrile atmosphere but Chelsea softened its bite with their opening goal. Felix guided Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s lofted pass out wide to Mudryk via a deft header, continuing his run into the box and arriving at the perfect moment to tuck to Mudryk’s rolled cross into the corner from six yards.
Bartlomiej Dragowski’s palms were stung by a fierce 18-yard drive from Enzo Fernandez in the only other chance of note in the first half.
The green and white hoard assembled behind Dragowski’s goal flickered noisily back to life after the interval but within minutes Chelsea were two up.
Pedro Neto received the ball back from Dewsbury-Hall and whipped a cross to the far post for Mudryk, who showed ready determination to reach the ball ahead of his defender to head his first goal of the season.
And the Ukrainian made it one goal and two assists for Chelsea’s third, threading the ball inside to Felix who drilled into the corner via a deflection.
Mladenovic handled inside he box from Felix’s flick giving Nkunku the chance to score his eighth goal of the season from the penalty spot.
Pellistri tapped in a consolation after Panathinaikos tore through Chelsea down their left, but by then job was long since completed for Maresca.
