CHELSEA SLAM OWN FANS AFTER NEW RACE STORM
Chelsea slam their own fans after new race row as match is overshadowed by anti-Semitic chants
Chelsea last night condemned their own supporters and urged fans to ‘summon brainpower’ after anti-semitic chants overshadowed the club’s europa league draw against Vidi in Budapest.
The game was only three minutes old when the first rendition of a song that refers to spurs disparagingly as ‘Yids’ was heard. Other Chelsea supporters in the away end took to social media to complain.
In addition, a freelance journalist and Chelsea fan who this week criticised the racism culture among a section of the club’s following was subjected to mocking chants as he sat in the press box.
Chelsea’s hierarchy were last night furious at the latest episode. It follows saturday’s incident when Raheem sterling was viciously abused by Chelsea fans, leading to four men being suspended by the club.
a Chelsea club statement read: ‘anti-semitism has no place at Chelsea or in any of our communities. We have stated this loud and clear on many occasions from the owner, board, coaches and players.
‘any individuals that cannot summon the brainpower to comprehend this simple message and are found to have shamed the club by using anti-semitic or racist words or actions will face the strongest possible action.’
This was a dead-rubber fixture. 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 British talents Callum hudson-Odoi and ethan ampadu.
Instead, Chelsea are waking up to another race storm. after saturday evening’s vicious abuse of sterling, which triggered a police investigation and four supporters to be suspended, the club last night only just stopped short of calling fans brainless.
against the backdrop of the sterling incident, it beggared belief. UeFa are likely to conduct their own investigation.
Chelsea, owned by a Jewish man in Roman abramovich, have made great strides to combat antisemitism. They have led delegations to auschwitz and both abramovich and chairman Bruce Buck have personally put their voices and faces to a club campaign.
This latest episode will be greeted with dismay in the corridors of power at stamford Bridge. Chelsea have a specific 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, 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 ten changes from the team that 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, sarri earmarked ampadu as a ‘very important player’ for Chelsea’s future. Yet this was only the Welshman’s first club start of the campaign, despite making several appearances for Ryan Giggs’ 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 but he was unfortunate to score an own goal.
Winger hudson-Odoi, meanwhile, remains locked in a stand-off with
his club as only 18 months remain on his contract and Chelsea want the England Under-17 winner to remain long-term. Hudson-Odoi is still to play a minute in the top flight this season, and his display demonstrated promise but was undermined by an absence of end product.
Chelsea have navigated the most straightforward of Europa League groups without breaking a 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 of the goal.
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 goalkeeper’s grasp. In doing so, Morata collapsed in a heap and soon disappeared down the tunnel to be replaced by French striker Olivier Giroud.
At the beginning of the second period, Chelsea were undone by another set-piece, as full-back Stopira appeared unmarked at the far post but headed over. Yet the Hungarian side were now up for a scrap.
As if to prove the point, Vidi midfielder Georgi Milanov threw off his gloves. Milanov stood up a cross from the left flank and Loic Nego studied the ball’s flight, concentrated hard and thrashed into the goal with his instep.
Nego had previously come close, forcing a superb save from Willy Caballero.
The game was by now fast and furious. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was booked for a robust challenge and four home players joined him into 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 Chelsea did secure their equaliser when the French forward planted a delicious free-kick into the goal.
Such a fine display of skill should have been the talking point. The travelling fans instead ensured that it would be but a minor footnote on another dispiriting evening.