The British government on Monday called it "totally inappropriate" the fact that Chelsea fans regularly chanted the name of the Russian owner of the club, Roman Abramovich, who is facing financial sanctions because of his alleged closeness to Vladimir Putin.
At the beginning of March, Chelsea fans, traveling to Burnley, had chanted the name of the oligarch during the minute of applause organized by the Premier League during the 28th day, in support of Ukraine, invaded by Russia.
Coach Thomas Tuchel distanced himself from these actions immediately after the match.
"It was not the time to do that", had railed the technician, "if we want to show our solidarity, we show our solidarity and we do it all together".
Despite this, the fans have repeated it in the two games that have taken place since, in Norwich and against Newcastle.
“We are well aware of the strength of the feelings that surround a popular club but that does not excuse an attitude which is totally inappropriate at the moment,” said a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
"I think people can show their passion and support without resorting to this stuff," he added.
The government “open to a sale of the club”
Having bought the club in 2003 to make it one of the major teams of the 2000s in England, with 19 trophies won thanks to hundreds of millions of pounds injected into the accounts of the Blues, Abramovich enjoys great popularity among supporters.
The sanctions taken against him, with a freezing of his assets which also affected the club by strangling him financially and by complicating the process of sale which the Russian had ended up launching, only strengthened this link.
The government has yet again indicated that it was not opposed to a sale of the club, subject to conditions.
“We are open to a sale of the club, we would be ready to study a request for modification of the license (under which the club was authorized to continue its activities) which would allow its realization, if the circumstances allow it”, indicated the spokesperson, without further details.
However, the club has not, for the moment, made a request in this sense, he further specified.
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Boris Johnson
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