Chelsea have to find a way to stop leaking goals immediately as they enter a crucial part of the season, manager Thomas Tuchel said after they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.
The defeat came on the heels of a 4-1 thrashing by Brentford in the Premier League and Tuchel said everyone at the club shared responsibility for the problems.
“It’s on all of us. I’m included in this,” Tuchel told reporters. “Individually we lost shape and challenges. Obviously, since the international break, we don’t look the same and I don’t really have an explanation.
“We can play much better. We can hurt Real Madrid much more, but we were far off our level and that is very disappointing because it is a night when you need to be spot on.
“It is the moment now to find an end to this period of conceding goals and losing games very quickly because we are in an absolutely crucial time of the season.”
Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen said it was “not normal” for them to concede seven goals in two games.
“It’s not just about this game, we did it as well at the weekend,” he added. “We have to fix it, and we have to do it quick.”
Chelsea face Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, before travelling to Madrid for the Champions League return leg on Tuesday.