Chelsea fans demand forgotten star returns after booking place in CL semi-final

CHELSEA fans are demanding the club bring back Ian Maatsen after he clinched a spot in the Champions League semi-final.

The full-back played a starring role as Borussia Dortmund overcame Atletico Madrid in a thrilling quarter-final clash.

Dortmund went into the second leg trailing after leaving Madrid 2-1 down.

However, the Bundesliga giants fought back to win a topsy-turvy tie 5-4 on aggregate.

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Julian Brandt netted the opener, but it was Dortmund's second goal that got Blues supporters talking.

Maatsen, 22, drove up from his defensive role and fired past Jan Oblak with a powerful drive into the far corner.

Fans responded by flocking to social media to beg the club to make sure he returns to Stamford Bridge for next season.

One fan posted: "Ian Maatsen what a goal. Don’t sell him Chelsea."

A second wrote: "Chelsea are going to sell Ian Maatsen to Borussia Dortmund for £35m when we’re crying out for a player like him."

A third commented: "Maatsen is into the semi-finals as a starting LB in the competition we can’t get into."

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A fourth said: "Ian Maatsen wasn’t given a chance by Chelsea this season and now he is scoring CL quarter final goals."

A fifth joked: "That Ian Maatsen fella looks good – we should consider buying him."

Another added: "Fair play to him, talented player."

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Maatsen spent the first half of the season at Chelsea but struggled to break into Mauricio Pochettino's side.

This was after the club rejected a £30million offer from Burnley to sign him in the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old spent the 2022-23 season on loan at the Clarets and was a crucial cog in the machine that won promotion to the Premier League.

After a lack of playing time in the first half of the season, Maatsen joined Dortmund on loan in January.

Reports have already claimed that the German outfit are keen to make the move permanent in the summer.