Alejandro Garnacho faced intense criticism after his defensive lapse cost Chelsea a victory in his debut for the club during their 2-2 draw with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Chelsea’s new signing Garnacho at fault for dramatic Brentford leveler
The Argentine winger, who joined from Manchester United for £40 million, was accused of “falling asleep” during a crucial stoppage-time moment that allowed Brentford’s Fabio Carvalho to score a dramatic equalizer.
Garnacho entered the match as a substitute in the 79th minute and initially made a positive impact.
He contributed to Moises Caicedo’s powerful 85th-minute strike, which seemed to secure a comeback win for Chelsea.
However, his failure to track Carvalho during a long throw-in from Kevin Schade deep into added time led to the decisive goal.
Carvalho broke free at the back post and tapped in the equalizer unchallenged, with Garnacho identified as the player responsible for marking him.
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Gianfranco Zola highlighted Garnacho’s error post-match.
Redknapp emphasized, “Garnacho has got to mark Carvalho. That is your job. Don’t lose him—you are now one of the defensive players. He just falls asleep at the vital moment”.
Zola added, “The mistake is always the same: You start looking at the ball and don’t see the man. It is the man who scores the goal, not the ball”.
The debutant’s passionate celebration after Caicedo’s goal also drew attention, with some fans suggesting it contrasted sharply with his subsequent defensive lapse.
Manchester United supporters, in particular, expressed amusement online, given Garnacho’s contentious exit from Old Trafford.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged the need for better game management after conceding late, though he did not single out Garnacho directly.
The result denied Chelsea a chance to go top of the Premier League table, leaving them with lingering frustrations over missed opportunities.
