Chelsea in dead rubber? Not when racist fans bring more shame on club
YOU’RE NOT SEEING DOUBLE...WILLIAN AND GIROUD SCORE (ALMOST) IDENTICAL FREE-KICKS
HOW do you make a meaningless game meaningful? Invite along some Chelsea fans. This, sadly, is the dispiriting state that the club find themselves in this morning.
This fixture was a dead rubber. Chelsea had secured first place and qualification from Europa League Group L already by winning their first five matches. This trip to Budapest should have been memorable only for sight- seeing and opportunities handed to young talents Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Instead, Chelsea wake up to another race storm. After Saturday’s vicious abuse of Raheem Sterling, which triggered a police investigation and the suspension of four supporters, the club last night called into question their fans’ brainpower.
A club statement read: ‘Antisemitism and race-related hatred is abhorrent to this club and the overwhelming majority of our fans. It has no place at Chelsea.
‘We have stated this loud and clear on many occasions from the owner, the board, coaches and players. Any individuals that can’t summon the brainpower to comprehend this simple message and are found to have shamed the club by used using anti-semitic or racist words or actions will face the strongest possible action from the club.’
Against the backdrop of the Sterling incident, it beggared belief when, with only three minutes on the clock, a rendition of a chant referring to Tottenham disparagingly as ‘Yids’ began.
UEFA are likely to conduct their own investigation.
Chelsea, owned by a Jewish man, Roman Abramovich, have made great strides to combat antisemitism. They have led delegations to Auschwitz and in January the club announced a campaign to raise awareness about antisemitism in football ‘to educate our players, staff, fans and the wider community’.
The Chelsea Foundation’s Building Bridges campaign is a long-term initiative supported by Abramovich and chairman Bruce Buck.
This latest episode will be greeted with dismay in the corridors of power at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have a friendly match pencilled in next year against New England Revolution in which all ticket sales will go towards tackling anti-semitism.
Amid the fallout from Sterling’s experience at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s return to form by defeating the Premier League champions has been rather lost. After a recent dip, Maurizio Sarri’s side appeared to have turned a corner but this was not an overly convincing display.
Sarri made 10 changes from the team who defeated Manchester City on Saturday and there were starts for teenagers Ampadu and Hudson-Odoi, who both long for greater opportunities under the Italian manager.
At his press conference on Wednesday evening, Sarri earmarked Ampadu as a ‘ very important player’ for Chelsea’s
future. Yet this was the 18-year-old Welshman’s first club start of the campaign, despite making several appearances for Ryan Giggs’ national side.
With his frizzy deadlocks, slender build and comfort on the ball, Ampadu is, from a distance, a doppelganger for David Luiz. He immediately demonstrated his composure, spraying piercing balls from his centre half position to the Chelsea widemen.
His impressive night was spoiled, however, when he scored an unfortunate own goal.
Winger Hudson- Odoi, meanwhile, remains locked in a standoff with the club. Only 18 months remain on his deal and Chelsea want the England Under 17 winner, who is yet to play a minute in the Premier League this season, to sign a new long-term contract. His display here demonstrated promise but was undermined by an absence of end product.
Chelsea have navigated the most straightforward of Europa League groups without breaking sweat and, during a dozy first half, this fixture appeared to be heading much the same way. Chelsea deserved to be leading when Willian dispatched a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Yet instead of extending their lead, Chelsea allowed Vidi to equalise within two minutes. Marko Scepovic flicked on at the near post from a corner and Ampadu headed into his own goal under pressure.
Chelsea sought to respond. Hudson- Odoi nipped past two players and crossed for Alvaro Morata, who back-flicked into the goalkeeer’s grasp and injured himself in the process. He collapsed in a heap and soon disappeared down the tunnel, to be replaced by Olivier Giroud.
At the beginning of the second half, Chelsea were under pressure from another set piece but Stopira headed over. The Hungarian side were now up for a scrap.
As if to prove the point, Georgi Milanov threw off his gloves. The midfielder stood up a cross from the left flank and Loic Nego studied the ball’s flight, concentrated hard and thrashed into the roof of the net with his instep.
The game was by now fast and furious. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was booked for a robust challenge and four home players joined him in the referees’ notebook. Players were soon squaring up and Chelsea’s professional pride kicked in. Cesc Fabregas pitched a delicate free kick and Giroud volleyed into the ground and over the bar.
But the French striker stuck to his task and equalised with 15 minutes left, planting a delicious free-kick into the top corner. MOL VIDI (4-3-2-1): Kovacsik 6; Fiola 6, Vinicius 5.5, Juhasz 6, Stopira 5.5; Nego 7, Hadzic 6 (Patkai 85min), Nikolov 6; Milanov 7 (Kovacs 81), Huszti 6 (Hodzic 81); Scepovic 6. Subs not used: Tujvel, Tamas, Hangya, Patkai, Berecz, Kovacs. Scorers: Ampadu 32 og, Nego 56. Booked: Juhasz, Huszti, Vinicius, Nego. Manager: Marko Nikolic 6. CHELSEA (4-3-3): Caballero 6; Zappacosta 5.5, Christensen 6, Ampadu 5.5, Palmieri 5.5; Barkley 6, Fabregas 6.5, Loftus-Cheek 6; WILLIAN 7 (Pedro 56, 6), Morata 5.5 (Giroud 45), Hudson-Odoi 6. Subs not used: Cumming, Alonso, Jorginho, Luiz, McEachran. Scorers: Willian 30, Giroud 75. Booked: Loftus-Cheek. Manager: Maurizio Sarri 6. Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (Mac) 7. Attendance: 19,242.