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Chelsea's Bad Away Form Is Due To Poor "Mentality And Character"

Former England striker Peter Crouch slammed Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea team after they lost to Champions League Group E rivals Dinamo Zagreb.

Chelsea were beaten 1-0 in Croatia on Tuesday and have now lost three consecutive away matches, after also tasting defeat at Leeds and Southampton in the Premier League.

Reacting to Tuesday's game on BT Sport, Crouch suggested that Chelsea's bad results away from Stamford Bridge have been a consequence of a poor mentality and a lack of character within the squad.

A huge banner, reading: "BAD BLUE BOYS", is pictured at Dinamo Zagreb's Stadion Maksimir ahead of a game against Chelsea in September 2022

Chelsea were beaten 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb's Stadion Maksimir on Tuesday

Crouch, who played for Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final, said: "On paper Chelsea are a far better side than Zagreb, but they had no mentality or character and Zagreb walked all over them tonight in that department.

"When you lose games away from home it's about mentality and character – there's too many players I think in this Chelsea team that you can't hang your hat on.

"They're all top players but they're going to have moments throughout the whole season. Are they going to get you away points? Are they going to dig in when it gets tough? Are they going to get you results away in Europe?

"I love them as players but I feel like it's too easy at times, and it would frustrate me as a Chelsea fan."

Chelsea will still be expected to progress from Group E, which also includes AC Milan and Red Bull Salzburg.

Milan, featuring two former Chelsea players in Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud, drew 1-1 in Salzburg on Tuesday.

Noah Okafor fired the Austrian champions ahead before Alexis Saelemaekers equalized for Milan.

Chelsea's next game in the Champions League is against Salzburg in London on September 14.