Chelsea Supporters Unleash Furious Revolt Against Ownership After Humiliating Fulham Loss

Chelsea fans' anger toward the club's current trajectory reached a breaking point during Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Fulham, with loud demonstrations against the ownership group.

Manager Enzo Maresca's departure, which resulted from deteriorating relationships with his superiors—co-owner Behdad Eghbali and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart—triggered widespread criticism from numerous supporters who are increasingly frustrated with the club's long-term strategy approach.

Eghbali, the leading figure of majority stakeholders Clearlake Capital, has drawn significant ire from fans who claim the co-owner values financial gains over competitive success. An organized demonstration has been planned for later this month.

Attendees on Wednesday chose not to delay in expressing their discontent. A sign demanding BlueCo's exit was displayed prominently in the away section, while a series of harsh chants truly escalated the atmosphere.

"F--- off Eghbali, you're not wanted here," echoed throughout the away section at Craven Cottage, accompanied by choruses of, "We don't care about Clearlake, because they don't care about us." Some supporters chanted the name of previous owner Roman Abramovich—a familiar occurrence since the ownership change.

Eghbali was present in the stands during the match, sitting dejectedly beside new manager Liam Rosenior and recruitment director Sam Jewell.

Why Are Chelsea Fans Protesting Against the Ownership?

Chelsea's ownership structure, officially called BlueCo, is distinctive as it includes several different parties.

Private equity company Clearlake Capital holds more than 60% of Chelsea's ownership stakes. The remaining portions were distributed among minority stakeholders Mark Walter, Hansjörg Wyss and Todd Boehly, with the latter leading the acquisition bid and often incorrectly being seen as the face of Chelsea's ownership.

Although Boehly controlled the initial period of BlueCo's leadership in 2022, the American no longer directs Chelsea's strategy, which is now guided by Eghbali and co-sporting directors Winstanley and Stewart.

Following Boehly's chaotic approach during the 2022 summer transfer period, Chelsea shifted their strategy to focus on acquiring young, promising talents with the goal of either nurturing future stars or selling them for financial gain. Frequent player changes, excessive expenditure and limited competitive achievements have been highlighted as motivations for the planned demonstration, along with claims of controlling management style.

The absence of experienced leadership within the squad has also drawn criticism from supporters, competitors and even Maresca, while the ownership's unwillingness to modify their controversial strategy has frustrated many fans.

Rosenior must now work to regain supporters' confidence as he becomes the fifth permanent coach attempting to fulfill BlueCo's objectives.