UCL: ‘Three academy kids cant stand European champions’ – Owen Hargreaves slams Chelsea
Sport UCL: ‘Three academy kids cant stand European champions’ – Owen Hargreaves slams Chelsea Published on March 18, 2026 By Don Silas googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1500386953281-8'); }); Former Manchester United midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, has hit out at Chelsea while voicing his concerns over the Blues’ reliance on young talent in their defence, particularly after the club’s loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Hargreaves was reacting to Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to PSG in the Champions League Round of 16 second-leg tie on Tuesday. He stated that Chelsea’s starting XI, featured “three academy kids” in the back four against the reigning European champions. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1524595905268-5'); }); “Chelsea has too many young players, they need experienced players,” Hargreaves told TNT Sports. “All these great Chelsea teams have had world-class experienced players – John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Makelele, and Essien. “You can’t have three academy kids in a back four against the European champions. It is impossible; it is never going to work. 8-2 over two legs. It is too much.” The likes of Mamadou Sarr (20), Trevoh Chalobah (26), Jorrel Hato (20), and Marc Cucurella (27) started at the back-four for Chelsea against PSG. Don't Miss AFCON: ‘Corruption’ – Senegal’s Mane blasts CAF for awarding trophy to Morocco You may like UCL: Arsenal, Chelsea set records after Round of 16 second-leg fixtures EPL: Why PSG eliminated Chelsea from competition – Enzo Fernandez UCL: ‘They’ve Osimhen, he wins games alone’ – Nicol warns Liverpool UCL: Guardiola snubs Real Madrid, names club, manager that’ve been biggest challenge in his career EPL: ‘We’ll see’ – Enzo Fernandez refuses to rule out possibility of leaving Chelsea UCL: Guardiola names best team this season after Man City’s elimination