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All eyes on Prestbury Park as the Greatest Show on Turf gets underway
“Despite engaging in extensive discussions with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), the deadline to purchase away tickets has passed without appropriate amendments being made to the Government licence which would allow a full allocation of Chelsea supporters to attend.
“Executives at Middlesbrough had been kind enough to extend their deadline for ticket sales and stadium allocation from 7.30pm last night until 9.30am this morning.”
Chelsea did not attempt to hide their anger and frustration as the club added: “It is vitally important for the competition that the match against Middlesbrough goes ahead.
“However it is with extreme reluctance that we are asking the FA board to direct that the game be played behind closed doors for matters of sporting integrity.
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“Chelsea FC recognises that such an outcome would have a huge impact on Middlesbrough and its supporters, as well as our own fans who have already bought the limited number of tickets that were sold before the licence was imposed, but we believe this is the fairest way of proceeding in the current circumstances.
“We will continue to discuss the issue of ticket sales with OFSI as there a number of fixtures still to be played this season and we hope to reach a resolution.”
While Chelsea have just asked for the FA Cup clash to be played behind closed doors it would set a dangerous precedent regarding their intentions for their remaining 10 Premier League games.
And SunSport understands the FA will reject Chelsea’s request, with the West London outfit to have around 500-600 supporters in attendance.
In a statement released by the FA, they said: “We are aware of Chelsea’s request to play their FA Cup quarter-final tie against Middlesbrough behind closed doors.
“The matter will be discussed at the Professional Game Board meeting tomorrow.”
Middlesbrough released their own statement on the request, as they described it as ‘bizarre’.
They said: “We are aware of Chelsea’s request to have Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup sixth round tie played behind closed doors and find their suggestion both bizarre and without any merit whatsoever.
BLUE SERIOUS?
“All concerned are well aware of the reasons Chelsea have been sanctioned and that this has nothing to do with Middlesbrough Football Club.
“To suggest as result that MFC and our fans should be penalised is not only grossly unfair but without any foundation.
“Given the reasons for these sanctions, for Chelsea to seek to invoke sporting “integrity” as reason for the game being played behind closed doors is ironic in the extreme.
“We currently await formal notification from the FA of the next steps but rest assured MFC will resist Chelsea’s actions in the strongest terms.”
Commenting on Chelsea, a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport source said: “Chelsea and their directors think the club should be able to carry on as if nothing has happened.
“They don’t get that they are a sanctioned entity, and want to wave a magic wand to make it all go away – it’s outrageous.
“We have worked very hard to ensure sporting integrity but what they are proposing will have direct consequence and damage another club.
“It is tin eared and they are living on another planet. They do not get they owned by someone who is linked to a very bad man currently bombing hospitals in Ukraine.
“And yet, despite everything that has been done to keep them running, they are willing to damage another club at the drop of a hat.”
Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan wasn’t surprised by Chelsea’s request when speaking on talkSPORT.
He added that Boro supremo Steve Gibson had suggested that ‘sporting integrity and Chelsea don’t go together in the same sentence’.
Tuchel recently revealed how Chelsea, who travel to France to play Lille in their Champions League second leg clash on Wednesday, cannot fly to Boro with the club facing a ten-hour round trip by coach.
He said: “We want to find solutions, we want to play the match on Saturday as much as we want to play in the Champions League.
“We have a framework to play in Lille with no excuses. It is difficult to arrange things in the best way possible for the FA Cup, but we will deal with it.
“It isn’t about luxury and bling-bling. This is just a pro level of sports, where we play with two days between matches with our opponent having four days between matches and we arrive with the possibilities of injuries.
“For that, it is better to arrive with a plan rather than a bus.”
German star Kai Havertz meanwhile has declared he would happily pay out of his own pocket to travel to Teesside this weekend.
