Chelsea fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief as Malo ended a 165-game goal drought, proving that perseverance and smart positioning pay off. The France defender, whose lack of goals had become a running joke around the club, capitalized on a perfectly timed run into space at the far post to head in a cross from Alejandro Garnacho.
Manager Maresca was quick to praise the effort, noting the value Malo brings to the squad beyond his defensive duties. “Finally! We like to attack with full-backs, sometimes it's Marc Cucurella,” Maresca told Sky Sports after the match. “Last season Cucurella scored six or seven goals—hopefully Malo can score more goals this season. Malo is one of our main players because he allows us to be versatile.”
Indeed, the achievement is notable. Stats website Transfermarkt lists Malo among Europe’s top seven players for the longest goal droughts since their professional debuts. His breakthrough underscores not only his persistence but also Chelsea's tactical flexibility, allowing full-backs to play a crucial role in attack.
Chelsea’s current squad lacks a striker in the mold of Erling Haaland, who can consistently score single-handedly. Maresca has emphasized that to achieve the club’s target of Champions League qualification, goals must come from multiple players. “Our mood is good,” Maresca added. “It’s the noise from outside because you drop points against a team that are doing well. People expect Chelsea to win all the games, but the reality is it’s not like this.”
Malo’s goal may be the spark the Blues need, reinforcing the manager’s strategy and the importance of collective goal-scoring contributions. If the defender continues to get into attacking positions, Chelsea could see an uptick in offensive output—just when they need it most.
