FourFourTwo
Chelsea have been frozen in time. Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned and the club are allowed to run… just not as they ever have been.
The Blues were facing an uncertain summer with major contracts coming to completion this summer and the likes of Antonio Rudiger and club captain Cesar Azpilicueta leaving but this latest spanner in the works clouds just about everything.
So just how bad could things get at Stamford Bridge? And is there anything to prevent that?
1. Chelsea fans aren’t allowed to games for the rest of the season
As part of the sanctions against the European champions, Chelsea can’t sell any tickets. Financially, that’s going to have a dent, right?
But it’s not just about the money. Not only are there thousands of Blues who want to go to the Bridge to see their team between now and May, the team need those fans. Playing in a half-empty stadium with just the season ticket holders is going to have a massive impact on Thomas Tuchel’s side’s chances towards the end of the season.
Why it might not happen: Culture secretary Nadine Dorries claimed there will be no plans to stop “existing ticket holders” from attending matches, suggesting that future tickets might not go on sale – but did go as far as to call clubs “cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities”.
Chelsea, as a club, might be able to argue that as a community, they need the fans there – and sort some kind of free lottery to get fans in. Otherwise, their current license to run during these sanctions could well be re-written to allow for fans in the ground, given that the matchday revenue is not a significant source of income for them in comparison to their broadcast money.
2. Chelsea are placed under a transfer ban
Dorries has confirmed that Chelsea are effectively under a transfer embargo. The club were in this position as recently as 2019 and still managed to qualify for the Champions League the following season – but this time, it’s a little different.
Chelsea won’t even be allowed to extend contracts under the current sanction – meaning that they would lose Rudiger, Christensen and skipper Azpilicueta.
Why it might not happen: If Chelsea can be sold without Roman Abramovich collecting any of the profits of the sale, the sanctions will be lifted and the transfer ban will be lifted. The new owner/s would then be allowed to invest in a fresh new start for the club…
3. A massive exodus follows
Roman Abramovich has invested billions of his own money in Chelsea. The motivations behind doing so may well be debated for years to come by those interested in politics as much as football – but the next people to run the club might not be as generous with money…
