BLUES FANS BLOW IT IN BUDAPEST
Club humiliated for the second time in a week after shocking chanting
Willian 30, Giroud 75 JUST how much more damage can Chelsea’s image take?
Five days after the Raheem Sterling incident, this was a night on which Blues fans needed to be beyond reproach.
Just like last weekend, however, it only took a small, vocal minority to make it difficult for everyone else.
Even before this contest, there was a huge irony that an English team playing in Eastern Europe – a region with form for racial intolerance – was being asked about the problem back home.
What should have been a headline-free, dead rubber here in Budapest instead turned into another night on which Chelsea were forced into damage limitation mode.
It is tough on a club that has worked hard to try and impress upon the troublesome section of its fanbase the need to get their act together.
They have a Jewish owner in Roman Abramovich, they have a sizeable Jewish fanbase, and next spring will play New England Revolution in Boston to highlight their fight against antisemitism. All money from ticket sales will go to the cause, while Abramovich will donate an additional $1million.
With the spotlight already on the club, Chelsea executives here were left fuming. How do you solve a problem like fans who think nothing of using language known to cause offence?
Once again, head coach Maurizio Sarri was left fielding the kind of questions football managers should not have to answer. Especially when, for a game that meant nothing to the Premier League title-chasers, the action on the pitch was quite entertaining.
Sarri had made 10 changes but it was experienced campaigner Willian who curled in a delicious free-kick to open the scoring after half an hour.
Ethan Ampadu, 18, headed into his own net from a corner just two minutes later and Vidi grew in confidence.
Defender Loic Nego put the hosts ahead with a fantastic volley 11 minutes after the break, but Olivier Giroud came off the bench to hit back with a stunning free-kick equaliser, 15 minutes from the end.
He’d replaced Alvaro Morata, who hurt his knee while shooting from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s first-half cross. Giroud is now the Blues’ only fit striker.
Sarri insisted afterwards he does not think Morata’s injury is too serious, with an update expected today. VIDI: CHELSEA:
REF: FROM BACK PAGE of race-related or religious 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 using antisemitic or racist words or actions, will face the strongest possible action.”
Chelsea fans at the game attended on an away ticket scheme, meaning they must show their passports to obtain their tickets. The club fear they will have a problem identifying the offenders, however, because of a lack of CCTV.
Maurizio Sarri, who saw sub Olivier Giroud make it 2-2 with a stunning free-kick, said: “I didn’t hear anything. I am not able to understand the song in English.” LATEST TRANSFER NEWS Keep track of all the gossip throughout the day REACTION & PREVIEWS
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