Chelsea have back pedalled in their request to the FA to have their weekend Quarter-final FA Cup fixture at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors.
In an embarrassing turn of events for the club, Chelsea have decided to do a U-turn on their initial enquiry to the FA about a potentially playing the game behind closed doors, due to them being unable to sell tickets to away supporters.
The FA has issued the following statement. We are grateful for the FA’s continuing efforts to help us find a solution. https://t.co/fm1uYfSLNz
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 15, 2022
This comes as the club were unable to amend terms of their special government licence over ticket sales for supporters. The club have also been condemned by the Government.
Chelsea initially made the request for “matters of sporting integrity”, causing widespread controversy, with many quick to call on the club’s hypocrisy. Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson gave a bold statement of intent towards Chelsea saying “Chelsea and sporting integrity do not belong in the same sentence… the trophies over 19 years have come from corrupt money”.
Their opponents Middlesbrough have issued a statement in which they describe Chelsea’s decision as “bizarre”, whilst their manager Chris Wilder has praised his sides reaction “I thought our response as a club was class and our Chairman said what he felt from the heart… Nobody wants to see empty seats at the Riverside. It’s the quarter-final of the FA Cup”.
It has been reported that Chelsea even tried to sell away tickets to supporters for nothing, however Middlesbrough were unwilling to sell the club any tickets for free. A decision from the club which will surely not help with their already perilous-looking position. Will this be the final straw between Chelsea fans and the morality of their club?
