Chelsea: Pressure mounts for Liam Rosenior’s side with fan protests and another costly loss
There is anger towards Rosenior, but many Chelsea fans also point the finger at Eghbali, Boehly and the rest of BlueCo’s ownership.
In the latest protest, fans marched from The Wolfpack Inn bar to Stamford Bridge before kick-off; Attendance rose from around 200 before the Brentford game to over 500 before Saturday’s draw.
Along with calls for support for former owner Abramovich, there were also flares, banners and slogans directed at the owners.
Under the terms of the 2022 takeover agreement, the current ownership group will not be able to sell the club until at least 2032. But there are signs they are willing to heed some criticism, including calls to bring in more experienced players.
“We recognize that we need balance. You change a model, you improve and you learn from mistakes,” Eghbali said. “We have a strong core but we need to add experience to take the team to the next level and achieve consistency. This is not a loss for us.”
However, failure to qualify for the Champions League would undermine any rebuilding. Chelsea have already spent around £1.5bn on transfers under their current ownership and despite receiving compensation of around £750m from sales, Chelsea remain under financial scrutiny from UEFA, having faced fines for breaching the rules.
The club revealed record pre-tax losses in the Premier League in its latest accounts, and without the additional income generated by Europe’s premier competition through broadcasting, sponsorship and ticket sales, questions remain about whether Chelsea will be able to recruit players effectively in the summer.
Before kick-off, Cole Palmer told TNT Sports: “If we’re not in the Champions League, everything changes.”
When asked about Palmer’s comments and possible financial implications, Rosenior replied: “The honest answer is I don’t know. We’re still struggling and whatever the situation is, we’ll deal with it at the end of the season.”
Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez’s agent Javier Pastore said his client would view missing out on Champions League football as an issue, despite the midfielder’s two-game domestic ban set to expire on Saturday following comments linking him with a move to Real Madrid.
While the protest movement is largely driven by younger fans, there are signs of disinterest among older match-going fans. The boos were heard at full time as the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge grew quieter with each match.
