CHELSEA FANS BOOED playmaker Jorginho during the club’s 3-0 Europa League second-leg win over Malmo on Thursday night.

The Blues cruised to a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Swedish side to advance to the last 16 of the Europa League courtesy of second-leg goals from Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

However, the win wasn’t enough to calm supporters amid pressure on manager Maurizio Sarri and his summer signing, who was introduced from the bench on 76 minutes.

The midfielder joined the London club back in July from Napoli for £57m (€65m) with the idea that the Italian would become the main playmaker for the “Sarri-ball” style of football.

Yet the club are currently in the midst of a difficult period following embarrassing defeats to both Manchester City and Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, the pressure on Sarri is exacerbated by his reluctance to utilise hot prospect Hudson-Odoi more often.

The 18-year-old’s qualities were evident in Chelsea’s victory, with the winger bagging the club’s third goal and helping secure their qualification for the last 16 of the competition.

Despite not completing a rumoured big-money move Bayern Munich in January, uncertainty still surrounds Hudson-Odoi’s long-term future.

Chelsea supporters also made their feelings known over the course of the 90 minutes against Malmo, chanting: ”Hudson-Odoi, we want you to stay.”

Sarri, however, defended his team afterwards and singled out Jorginho’s initial absence as key.

“I think in the first 30 minutes we understood why Jorginho is very important for our team,” he told reporters. “We were in trouble to exit from our half, on pressing. With Jorginho, it’s easier, I think. I hope our fans will be able to understand that Jorginho, for us, is really a very important player.”

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