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    Chelsea player ratings: Azpilicueta inspires Blues to win over Lille as Jorginho finds life difficult in new system

    CHELSEA progressed to the Champions League quarter-final with a 2-1 win in Lille.Inspired by captain Cesar Azpilicueta, the Blues came from behind to win on the night and secure a 4-1 aggregate victory.
    Captain Cesar Azpilicueta scored Chelsea’s winner with his kneeCredit: Getty
    Christian Pulisic drew his side level on the stroke of half-timeCredit: Getty
    But it was not a night without worry as Lille pressured from the off and hit the post with the score at 1-1.
    Chelsea proved why they have been so successful in this competition under Thomas Tuchel, who continues to pick up results amid Chelsea’s off-pitch issues.
    It was an accomplished team performance with the only negative being Andreas Christensen’s first-half injury.
    Here is how Simon Phillips rated the European champions’ performance in Lille.
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    Edouard Mendy – 6/10
    Dived the right way for the penalty but could not save it. Had a few other shots to deal with that he managed well, some of his distribution was questionable though at times.
    Cesar Azpilicueta – 9
    His determination and work rate was insane again. Made some good tackles and blocks and contributed in attacks as much as he could.
    His run to get on the end of Mason Mount’s cross to score was amazing and he took the finish well.
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    Andreas Christensen – 6
    Had a reasonable first half an hour but unfortunately got an injury and had to come off.
    Thiago Silva – 7
    Sometimes a little too calm and slow to make the pass, but even still, there is nobody better at playing out from the back than Silva and he was needed as Lille were pressing intensely.
    Antonio Rudiger – 7
    Intense and energetic as usual and his leadership was needed for Chelsea.
    Brings the ball out from the ball well when there isn’t a pass on to ease the pressure.
    Marcos Alonso – 6
    Some neat touches, but also some poor ones. He was there but wasn’t really bringing a lot to the table.
    Not enough pace to be an effective wing-back for me unfortunately.
    Jorginho – 6
    Silly handball to give away a penalty in the first half but he redeemed himself for that error with a lovely assist for Pulisic to score the equaliser.
    Not his best game though really and struggled to adjust in the midfield three Tuchel deployed.
    N’Golo Kante – 6
    Not one of his greatest games really in terms of what he usually brings to the table.
    He wasn’t quite keeping the ball well enough in the first half but improved a lot in the second half when he was playing a little deeper.
    Matteo Kovacic – 8
    Running the show really and never giving it away. Keeping his lovely close control and dribbling ability was amazing again. Did well to help Chelsea keep the ball under pressure.
    He was taken off at half-time which was shocking, must be injured, you’d assume.
    Christian Pulisic – 8
    Took his equalising goal very well and stayed composed when through on goal.
    I prefer to see him out wide so there was moments he looked uncomfortable, but had a very good game really overall and was actually moved out wide.
    Kai Havertz – 8
    Some nice clever touches from him and he was also looking strong on the ball holding it up when needed.
    Looked dangerous and direct when he dropped in and got on the ball.
    Subs
    Trevoh Chalobah (for Christensen, 33) – 6
    Had to come on as an early sub for Christensen.
    Got booked almost instantly for a silly challenge and looked a little uncomfortable after that bar some good drives forward with the ball.
    Mason Mount (for Kovacic, 45) – 8
    Really good impact when he came on and provided a lovely assist for Azpilicueta to score. Full of energy and really direct.
    Ruben Loftus-Cheek (for Jorginho, 74) – 7
    Strong on the ball, intensity, and some nice little touches as well.
    Romelu Lukaku (for Pulisic, 74) – 7
    Looked decent when he came on, good physicality and some nice link-ups with Havertz.
    Hakim Ziyech (for Havertz, 83) – N/A
    Was not on long enough to impact the game. More

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    Lille 1 Chelsea 2 (1-4 agg): Pulisic and Azpilicueta complete Blues comeback as holders reach Champions League quarters

    CAPTAIN AMERICA rode to the rescue and sent a message to the folks back home with a flash of his right foot.Christian Pulisic scored the goal which saw off the fightback from the French champions and handed Chelsea a relatively quiet night on the pitch at least.
    Christian Pulisic equalised as Chelsea beat Lille to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
    Mason Mount set up skipper Cesar Azpilicueta to complete the turnaroundCredit: Alamy
    And as the bidding war to buy the club hots up across the Pond there could be no better advert than seeing a homespun hero steal the show.
    Whether by coincidence or not, Pulisic was back in the starting line-up after two games out on the day a fourth interested party from the US signalled intent to buy the club.
    Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts declared himself in the race for the £3billion-rated club just hours before kick-off, joining Woody Johnson, Oaktree Capital and Todd Boehly.
    The queue of customers stretches from New England to New Orleans. And how those four will have drooled at seeing one of their own show what can be done when the Yanks are given a chance.
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    Pulisic is the poster boy of stars and stripes soccer. He is the skipper of the national team yet drifts in and out at Chelsea and admits it hurts.
    The clinical finish tonight which avoided an uncomfortable evening for his team-mates will only serve to stir up interest across stateside. 
    Pulisic was one of five changes to the team from Sunday’s late win against Newcastle in a bid to inject fresh legs into the team. 
    As is becoming customary with Chelsea, it is impossible to go even a few minutes without some form of drama.
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    So it was that defender Andreas Christensen collapsed just after half an hour with a pulled hamstring and was forced off.
    His replacement Tevoh Chalobah’s first input was to pull down Lille’s highly-rated forward Jonathan David on the edge of the box, concede a dangerous free-kick and get himself booked.
    From that Chelsea’s normally reliable keeper Edouard Mendy made a mess of dealing with the cross and in the ensuing goalmouth scramble Jorginho handled the ball.
    It was a full four minutes later though that Italian ref Davide Massa was able to consult VAR and award a penalty.
    Burak Yilmaz calmly pumped the ball in to make it 2-1 on aggregate and cut Chelsea’s aggregate lead to one goal with more than fifty minutes to play in a hostile atmosphere in industrial north-eastern France.
    But they should make the most of it as current Government restrictions mean that after Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough, Chelsea can’t sell any more tickets to games so a full house could soon become a thing of the past for these players.
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    Jorginho was left shaking his head in despair as Lille pulled a goal back. Seven minutes later he was doing the same thing but in admiration for Pulisic for the sublime finish which restored Chelsea’s two-goal advantage.
    Looking to make amends for his erroneous move earlier, Chelsea’s most naturally-gifted passer drifted towards the Lille 18-yard box then pushed a perfectly-weighted through ball into Pulisic’s path.
    With the last kick of the half, he raced clear and slid a shot across the face of the goal and into the net to level on the night and put Thomas Tuchel’s team firmly back in control of the tie.
    While it was not exactly plain sailing from there, Lille hit the post through a majestic second-half header from Xeka, the restoration of the two-goal cushion settled the players enough for them to continue their remarkable run since their club went into meltdown.
    The first leg of this tie was played on February 22 – just over three weeks ago.
    But it feels like a different lifetime.
    Burak Yilmaz had given the French side hope from the penalty spotCredit: AFP
    That cut the deficit in half in front of a raucous home crowdCredit: AFP
    Back then, Russia had not invaded neighbours Ukraine and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was sitting relatively safely in his throne room as megarich owner of a hugely successful club with a top manager.
    The Russian is now an outcast, sanctioned by the UK Government for alleged ties to his tyrannical leader Vladimir Putin. And Abramovich’s beloved football club is up for sale forced to operate on a shoestring.
    Boss Tuchel joked he might have to drive a seven-seater car to get the team out to play in Lille but was half-serious.
    Yet money doesn’t appear to be everything and since the war kicked off, Chelsea have played six times and won five. Being skint has galvanised the players at least.
    There was a similar feeling when the club was condemned to a transfer ban under Tuchel’s predecessor Frank Lampard.
    The kids from the academy were promoted to the first team and the spirit in the camp went through the roof while spending power plummeted.
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    One of those kids was midfielder Mason Mount and he came on at half-time to prived the assist for the move which numerically sealed Chelsea’s place in the last eight.
    Nineteen minutes from time he whipped in a ball from the left and Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta made it 4-1 on aggregate with a scruffy goal off his knee.
    The captain turned into the back of the net with his knee to secure the tieCredit: Getty More

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    Chelsea fans chant Roman Abramovich songs before clashing with police in Lille ahead of Champions League tie

    CHELSEA fans chanted Roman Abramovich songs before clashing with police in Lille ahead of their Champions League tie.French cops threw on full riot gear as they looked to contain the violence close to the train station.
    French riot police were forced to intervene after Chelsea fans threw bottles outside a Lille barCredit: Twitter
    Chelsea fans chanted ‘Roman Abramovich’ with cops forced to close roads around the meleeCredit: Twitter
    Chelsea fans had been drinking in Les 3 Brasseurs since Wednesday morning – hours before kick-offCredit: Twitter
    Around 6.30pm local time – two-and-a-half hours before kick off – police swarmed on Les 3 Brasseurs bar.
    Blues fans had defied the UK Government by chanting Abramovich’s name, despite being urged to stop after voicing their support for their departing owner during Sunday’s win over Newcastle.
    Bottles were thrown from fans, with cops firing tear gas into the crowds.
    Riot police even swarmed into the melee in a bid to contain and arrest the ringleaders.
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    Reports claim many of the troublemakers were drunk.
    A local police spokesperson confirmed the violence and even revealed roads were forced to be shut-down due to the scuffle with the trouble still ongoing.
    They said: “We were called to the bar following complaints about the behaviour of the supporters.
    “Roads around the area have been cordoned off.
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    “There are still isolated pockets of trouble around the city.”
    Chelsea fans had been spotted drinking in the area from Wednesday morning.
    And as the day wore on, they began to sing chants in support of Abramovich – who was slapped with sanctions last week due to his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
    Abramovich had just days earlier announced his intention to sell Chelsea for £3billion.
    Despite the sanctions, the oligarch will be allowed to sell after he confirmed he had no interest in pocketing any of the proceeds.
    A number of parties have come forward, including the Saudi Media Group, Nick Candy and Woody Johnson. More

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    Frank Lampard admits he fears for Chelsea staff facing job losses amid tight restrictions put on his former club

    CHELSEA legend Frank Lampard has revealed his fears for Stamford Bridge staff facing job losses.The club’s all-time top scorer may have worries enough in trying to save Everton from relegation.
    Everton boss Frank Lampard is fearful for employees at ChelseaCredit: Getty
    But as the crisis around sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich deepens, he declared: “My focus has to be on Everton but I was a player there for 13 years and manager for a couple of years too.
    “So on a human level I care very much about those at Chelsea who might be losing their jobs.
    “It’s a tough moment for the club and for them and I care also about the supporters.
    “It’s a situation that is possibly difficult for the players and what might be happening to those who are maybe coming to their contract end.”
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Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Latest Everton news.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}READY TO FIGHT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Lampard hits back at Carragher after he called Everton an absolute disgrace
    But Lampard — who won three Prem titles and the Champions League at the Bridge — added: “There are much bigger things going on.
    “It’s maybe not about the players’ contracts and Chelsea, not when you look around the world and see what’s happening.”
    Chelsea are also said to have already ‘partially laid off’ some staff after Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government.
    The players are expected to be fine, but worries have been raised for the club’s numerous other staff members.
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    But with Everton only out of the relegation zone on goal difference, Lampard has other issues on his mind.
    The Toffees have won just three times in the Prem since September and are in real danger of suffering the dreaded drop.
    Lampard and Co do have games in hand over the teams around them, although if recent form is anything to go by that might not be much of a saving grace. More

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    Chelsea face playing Champions League quarter-final behind closed doors if they beat Lille due to sanctions

    CHELSEA could be forced to play their Champions League quarter-final home leg behind closed doors… if they get there. Thomas Tuchel’s side take a 2-0 lead to French Champions Lille in tonight’s last-sixteen second leg.
    Stamford Bridge could host a Champions League quarter-final without any fans in attendanceCredit: Getty
    But crippling sanctions imposed on the club in recent days mean they could be without fans for a crunch quarter-final home match, should they progress to that stage.
    Chelsea are not allowed to sell any match tickets while still under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, with the billionaire Russian oligarch having his assets frozen.
    Uefa are not willing to sell tickets to fans directly, which could result in the game played behind closed doors.
    The club have been placed under a special licence allowing them to operate but not generate any revenue.
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Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Latest Chelsea 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}THREE’S A CROWD .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Chelsea told to remove Three logo on kit ‘as soon as possible’ as deal axed
    Season ticket holders are still allowed to attend games but their packages do not cover European ties.
    The EU slapped further sanctions on Abramovich on Tuesday, with uncertainty on what that means for the Blues should they progress further in the competition.
    Uefa, though, are committed to doing all they can to keep Chelsea in the tournament and are working with both the club and the EU on a possible resolution.
    Interestingly, if they reach the Champions League final for a second year in a row, fans WILL be able to attend.
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    CHELTENHAM FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS – ALL THE LATEST DEALS FOR THE RACING THIS WEEK
    Uefa sell final tickets to fans directly, with gate receipts not split by the finalists.
    That means the club would not profit in any way from tickets being sold.
    Elsewhere, Chelsea have been allowed to hire a private jet to take them to their FA Cup clash at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
    The Government have cleared the club to fly to the North-East, according to the Telegraph, after Tuchel and Co had faced a gruelling 10-hour round trip on the coach.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}STRETCH YOUR TENNER .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}LiveScore: Bet £10 and get £40 in FREE BETS for Cheltenham Festival
    The £20,000 cap on match travel expenses has been waived for the clash, enabling the club to hire a jet.
    Just under 700 Chelsea fans will also travel north after the club returned 3,200 tickets to Boro that they were banned from selling.
    Chelsea had originally demanded the match go ahead without ANY fans ‘for matters of sporting integrity’, before later withdrawing their outrageous appeal.
    Middlesbrough themselves have now put the tickets on sale to home fans. More

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    Chelsea told to remove Three logo from shirts by phone company just hours before Lille clash after £120m deal suspended

    CHELSEA have been ordered to remove the Three logo from their match-day shirts ‘as soon as possible’ after their £120million sponsorship deal was axed.The British telecoms company suspended their commercial partnership last week after Roman Abramovich was slapped with sanctions.
    Chelsea have been ordered to remove the Three logo from their kit by the British telecoms company after their £120m deal was suspended last weekCredit: Getty
    Chelsea have been playing on with their usual kit – including Three and Hyundai, who also called time on their relationship.
    But Three have now urged the Blues to STOP using their logo on their shirts.
    A Three spokesperson said: “We understand from discussions with Chelsea FC that there are ongoing issues with removing the Three logo from the shirts, as a result of kit supply issues and licence restrictions.
    “We have requested that Chelsea reverts with a solution to this issue as soon as possible.”
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Punters brave torrential rain and mud as Day 2 races get underway
    The Stamford Bridge giants are unable to print new kits due to the sanctions imposed on Abramovich and the club.
    Chelsea were handed a special licence to operate but not generate any revenue.
    And printing new shirts is on the club’s banned list.
    The Blues may be forced to crudely cover the logo with a sticker – much like Bundesliga 2 side Schalke after terminating their deal with Gazprom following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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    CHELTENHAM FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS – ALL THE LATEST DEALS FOR THE RACING THIS WEEK
    Chelsea face Lille in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday night.
    It remains to be seen if Blues officials will cover up the logo or play on as they have been in recent matches, including the 1-0 win over Newcastle on Sunday. More

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    Chelsea fans demand club is NOT sold to Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts after leaked anti-Muslim emails

    CHELSEA fans have reacted with fury after leaked emails from prospective buyer Joe Ricketts show the Chicago Cubs owner to have said ‘Muslims are my enemy’. Ricketts is part of a consortium that has thrown its hat into the ring to buy Chelsea alongside billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin.
    Fuming Chelsea fans have reacted with fury after Ricketts’ racist emails were leakCredit: Getty
    But Blues fans have reacted with fury after a number of Ricketts’ racist emails, dated from 2012, were leaked online.
    Many Chelsea supporters are strongly opposing the 80-year-old assuming control of the club after reading his appalling comments.
    As revealed by Splinter, leaked emails show Ricketts writing: “Christians and Jews can have a mutual respect for each other to create a civil society.
    “As you know, Islam cannot do that. Therefore we cannot ever let Islam become a large part of our society.
    “Muslims are naturally my (our) enemy due to their deep antagonism and bias against non-Muslims.”
    Ricketts also says in an exchange with son Pete, a serving politician, that he believes Islam ‘Is a cult and not a religion’.
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    He went on to say the religion of Islam is ‘Based on ‘kill the infidel’ a thing of evil’.
    The horrific language has led to Chelsea fans calling for Ricketts to be banned from owning the club, with one writing online: “You dare give the license to these lot.”
    Another said: “Well, this ain’t a good look. I beg that his bid falls apart. I don’t want him as a owner.”
    And a third added: “The Ricketts family must not be allowed anywhere near @ChelseaFC.”
    Ricketts has since apologised for the comments, saying: “I deeply regret and apologize for some of the exchanges I had in my emails. Sometimes I received emails that I should have condemned.
    “Other times I’ve said things that don’t reflect my value system. I strongly believe that bigoted ideas are wrong.”
    A spokesperson for the Ricketts backed consortium confirmed on Sky News a ‘formal bid’ for Chelsea was being prepared for Friday.
    But it’s unclear where the bid currently stands after Ricketts’ horrendous comments were made public. More