Hard blow for Chelsea. To reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Liam Rosenior’s Londoners will have to turn things around against Paris Saint-Germain by scoring at least a four-goal margin. A colossal challenge, which will force the Blues to discover themselves and attempt a real feat.
Behind the scenes, the English club must also deal with the consequences of a Premier League investigation into non-compliance with financial rules. It all started with a voluntary approach by the new management, who had reported old irregularities in the hope of obtaining leniency from the authority.
Chelsea banned from recruiting
But the sanction validated by an independent commission is heavy. The club agreed to settle £10.75 million (around €13 million) over failings in financial reporting, third-party investments and youth development. And this fine is just the tip of the iceberg.
The investigation revealed that, between 2011 and 2018, hidden payments had been made to undeclared players and agents via intermediaries. Thanks to his cooperation, the club escaped an immediate withdrawal of points, but the sporting sanctions remained severe: a nine-month ban on recruitment for its Academy and a one-year suspension of recruitment for the first team, accompanied by a two-year reprieve. Catastrophic timing on the eve of the match against Paris Saint-Germain.
