Chelsea Slapped with Massive Fine After Shocking On-Field Chaos During Premier League Loss
Chelsea have received a substantial penalty after acknowledging that a member of their technical staff hurled a water bottle toward the Aston Villa bench during last month's loss.
In what marked one of the final matches under Enzo Maresca's management, the Blues experienced a dramatic second-half meltdown as Ollie Watkins netted twice to secure a 2–1 turnaround win for the soaring Villans.
Following the match's conclusion, accusations emerged that someone from the Chelsea staff had launched a water bottle in the direction of Villa's bench. Video evidence of the occurrence was provided to the Blues following their formal charge.
Chelsea have now acknowledged the charge, though the specific individual responsible for throwing the bottle remains unidentified. With Maresca's subsequent exit, the culprit may have also departed the club.
A penalty of £150,000 ($203,000) has been imposed for what the commission characterized as an "extremely serious incident."
"The video evidence demonstrates the bottle emerging from the CFC dugout and moving at velocity (suggesting its mass) into the AVFC technical zone," the report states.
"The bottle travels extremely close to an AVFC substitute's head and lands within the AVFC technical area. This action was hazardous and could have readily triggered a response from the AVFC staff—it was purely fortunate that it didn't hit anyone."
Liam Rosenior Takes Stance on Alleged Lack of Discipline
Liam Rosenior Takes Stance on Alleged Lack of Discipline
The BlueCo-driven restructuring of Chelsea's roster toward a more youth-oriented approach has generated numerous claims of poor discipline among players that continue today. These worries even influenced the harshness of their recent penalty.
New manager Liam Rosenior, who is relatively inexperienced himself, has encountered numerous inquiries about Chelsea's behavior during his brief tenure in charge. He recently revealed he has never penalized a player for misconduct and maintained he has observed nothing from the Blues suggesting he might need to.
"You can inspire your players through various methods," he explained. "Each manager has their own approach.
"I attempt to concentrate on ensuring your discipline is strong and your routines are solid, which assists the team in winning. At my previous clubs, I never imposed fines because the team discipline was exceptionally strong and the squad's habits were excellent, reflecting good principles.
"Thus far, and I can only comment on my experience to date, the players have been outstanding during my time with them and that's what I'll concentrate on."