NOT long after Chelsea went 2-0 down against Paris Saint-Germain, the first ‘Roman Abramovich’ chants started at Stamford Bridge.
After the greatest humbling in a European competition in club history, discontent among the fanbase towards the current owners is now total.
They’re justifiably unhappy and it has become crystal clear over the last couple of weeks Chelsea are still light years away from challenging at the top again.
But, fellow Blues supporters, please stop this nonsense.
Singing Abramovich’s name achieves the square root of naff all, and it’s embarrassing for the majority of us.
Especially in the week when the extent of Chelsea’s cheating during the Russian’s 19-year tenure was laid bare.
The scale of the under-the-table dodgy deals between 2011 and 2018 is shocking — the only thing more jaw-dropping is the leniency of the Premier League’s punishment.
Chelsea were found to have hidden £47.5million in off- the-books payments to sign the likes of Eden Hazard, David Luiz and Nemanja Matic.
During that time, they won two league titles, a Champions League and three domestic cups.
This scandal might not taint the joy of those successes, especially the famous defeat of Bayern Munich in 2012, but it should make all Chelsea fans feel queasy.
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The pathetic £10.75m fine may well be the biggest in Prem history — but it’s down-the-back-of-the-sofa change to the billionaires who form BlueCo.
And it barely dents the £150m budget which had been set aside during their takeover to pay any potential fines relating to the Abramovich era.
A one-year transfer ban, suspended for two years, just does not cut the mustard, either.
The Chelsea hierarchy did themselves a huge favour in fessing up early doors and co-operating with investigators.
But they must have been anticipating something more severe than this slap on the wrist.
You can understand the anger of Everton and Nottingham Forest, who were each docked points and nearly relegated after breaching PSR.
And it must sting for ambitious clubs like Aston Villa and Newcastle, who have money to spend but have seen their progress stunted as they try to operate within the rules.
In the case of Everton, who were docked eight points in 2023-24, the Prem said a ‘financial penalty’ to a club with the backing of a wealthy owner was not a strong enough deterrent… yet it is for Chelsea.
A reminder, the combined net worth of the consortium who make up BlueCo is over £30BILLION.
The Prem says there was no need for a points deduction because Chelsea weren’t at risk of breaching PSR.
But rivals can argue, correctly, that Chelsea cheated to give themselves a significant sporting advantage. The ‘punishment’ smacks of double standards — one rule for the big boys, one rule for the rest.
So anyone hoping for strong sanctions against Manchester City, should they be found guilty of any of the 130 breaches against them, probably shouldn’t hold their breath.
City deny any wrongdoing, while the Premier League allege they broke PSR by disguising payments from the club’s owners as sponsorship deals and failing to declare salaries and bonuses.
That case has been rumbling on for seven long years now and, even though a three-month hearing concluded in December 2024, there is still no sign of an outcome.
Sure, it’s a complex case, but it’s farcical that we are still in the dark 15 months down the line.
Right now, the embarrassment is solely Chelsea’s, and the shame is on the Prem who said it was ‘important to deter breaches’ and ‘preserve public confidence in the fairness of the competition’.
If that was their aim, they have just stuck the ball into Row Z.
Rich ‘n Co find vibe
WHAT a difference a goal makes.
Richarlison’s last-minute equaliser for Tottenham at Anfield last weekend has completely changed the vibe around the club.
They came up short against Atletico Madrid on aggregate but they looked a different team in midweek as they gained a morale-boosting 3-2 victory.
It’s just as well, because Sunday’s clash with Nottingham Forest is nothing short of monstrous.
With West Ham in good form, whoever loses this weekend will surely go down.
Eze’s got a chance
THOMAS TUCHEL will name his England squad for the upcoming friendlies today — and he has a problem at No 10.
The four big contenders — Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Phil Foden — are either struggling to stay fit or badly out of form.
Currently Arsenal ace Eberechi Eze could trump all of them.
Mikel Arteta has finally let the shackles off the 27-year-old and he is showing what he is capable of.
But if the Three Lions are to truly stand any chance at the World Cup this summer, we need our big guns to start firing again.
And soon.
Moore is in store
IF you’re feeling any post-Cheltenham Festival blues, fear not.
For the start of the Flat season is just eight days away, and the Grand National meeting is on the horizon, too.
And we’re set for an unexpected treat on Wednesday as Constitution Hill makes his second Flat start with the world’s best jockey Ryan Moore on his back.
If that doesn’t get a few extra bums on seats at Kempton Park — usually a ghost town at its all-weather evening meetings — nothing will.
