Brentford and Chelsea played out a goalless draw at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday, with both sides unable to convert their chances in a Premier League clash.
The West London derby had both teams showcasing defensive solidity but lacked the decisive spark craved by their supporters.
Brentford started brightly, with Mikkel Damsgaard forcing an early save from Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez.
The Bees dominated the first half, and their best moment came after the break when Sepp van den Berg met a corner with a powerful header, only to see it bounce over the bar from six yards out.
Yoane Wissa also went close late on, nodding Bryan Mbeumo’s pinpoint cross just wide as Brentford pushed for a winner.
Meanwhile, Chelsea struggled with Maresca’s choice to bench stars Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson left the Blues blunt in attack.
Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, given rare starts, couldn’t unlock Brentford’s backline.
The introduction of Pedro Neto in the second half injected life, with Neto’s low shot denied by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken’s heroics.
Despite four minutes of stoppage time, the deadlock held, leaving both teams frustrated.
