Caught in Financial Crisis, Chelsea may not complete season

Web Desk — Chelsea football club’s technical and performance advisor Petr Cech says the club are having to live “day-by-day” in the wake of sweeping economic sanctions placed on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by the UK government.

Chelsea football club owner Abramovich was one of seven more oligarchs sanctioned this week by the UK following the Ukraine invasion by Russia.

Despite a special license to continue operating, there are fears the club will quickly run out of money. The current situation is that the Blues are unable to sign players, renew contracts, sell tickets to matches or merchandise, with limits also on the amount of money they are allowed to spend on travel to away games.

Peter Cech is the most senior Chelsea official to speak publicly since the sanctions were announced this week and could offer no guarantees the club could survive until the end of the season.

“We have to admit that we go day-by-day because we don’t have this in our hands,” Cech told Sky Sports.

Chelsea said in a club statement this week that they would seek more negotiations with the government over amending the license “to allow the club to operate as normal as possible.”

Cech added: “The conversations are going on so that we can actually operate in the way that we can finish the season.

“I believe that for us to be able to, to carry on to finish the season would obviously help everybody involved in the Premier League.”

Chelsea sits third in the Premier League table and are also still involved in the knockout stages of the Champions League and FA Cup.

In the Premier League Chelsea won its last match against Newcastle United by 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2-22.

Chelsea will play its next match against Lille on March 16, 2022, at Stade Pierre Mauray.

At Premier League’s points table, Manchester United is at the top so far with 70 points followed by Liverpool with 66 points. Chelsea is at No. 3 position with 59 points.