Chelsea

Chelsea's frailties were "so exposed" against Paris St-Germain and it could now be the time for "discussions" over the club's project, says European football expert Julien Laurens.

Liam Rosenior's side suffered their joint-heaviest aggregate defeats in a European tie, losing 8-2 to last season's Champions League winners PSG on Tuesday.

Mistakes cost Chelsea across both legs and highlighted the weaknesses in the young squad that has been built under the BlueCo ownership of Todd Boehly - who was in the stands to watch - and Behdad Eghbali since 2022.

"Very disappointing from a Chelsea perspective. The fans were not happy and you could feel the tension," Laurens, who was at the match, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"Some of them left after the hour when Liam Rosenior, at 2-0 down, decided to take off Enzo Fernandez, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer – his three best players. The fans had seen enough.

"It was embarrassing, really. It was embarrassing for Rosenior to have got his gameplan so wrong, to have got everything wrong really in his coaching from the first leg to the second leg. These games are sometimes on thin margins, I get that, but it was really two classes apart between the two teams.

"The defensive frailties we have seen already this season under [Enzo] Maresca and now under Rosenior were so obvious and so exposed by this PSG team.

"Maybe now is the time to have that discussion about the Chelsea project and investing all that money in young players. At times, to be ruthless, especially in the Champions league, you need more than just youth."

After the dismal display, who do you think has the biggest lesson learn? Is it the players? The manager? Or maybe the ownership?

Make your choice here

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Following Tuesday's heavy defeat by Paris St-Germain, Enzo Fernandez appeared to cast doubt over his Chelsea future.

The midfielder, signed for a then British record £107m from Benfica in January 2023, was asked by ESPN if he would be with the club next season and said: "I don't know. There are eight games left and the FA Cup. There's the World Cup and then we'll see."

It is perhaps not the rallying cry Blues fans would want from the 25-year-old, who captained the team on the night before being withdrawn after 60 minutes.

Fernandez has made 45 appearances for the Blues this season, scoring 12 goals and providing six assists, and BBC Sport's Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella wrote about his importance to the team before his 150th appearance for the club in January.

Given the lofty transfer fee paid, and the fact he still has over five years remaining on the eight-and-a-half-year contract he signed, a Fernandez exit would be likely to mean Chelsea receive a huge offer. However, rumours of interest from Europe's elite clubs have still circled in the background.

So, what do you make of Fernandez's comments? Will they impact his perception within the fanbase? And how important is he to the club's future?

Get in touch with your views here

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We asked for your views on Chelsea's 3-0 home loss to Paris St-Germain, which completed an 8-2 aggregate defeat in the Champions League last 16.

Here are some of your comments:

Richard: Yet again a lacklustre performance. This Chelsea team did not rise to the occasion. It was an absolute embarrassment. Our central defenders need to be ousted and the midfield needs a total overhaul. We need creative players to give our forwards a chance. As for Liam Rosenior, he would struggle managing a Sunday pub team.

Alan: Very inconsistent and very bad in defence. This side-to-side passing is becoming very boring. Why Rosenior thinks the way to win is to consistently play out of defence is beyond me. I'm afraid the whole club needs a sort out from players up to at least one of the co-owners. That was my last game. After 62 years of support, I'm finished. I wish them well, but I think it is pointless.

Stephen: We lost this tie in the first leg with that mad 15 minutes in Paris. It meant we had to go for it in the return leg, which meant our poor defence was exposed again in a 15-minute period right at the start of the game. This should be a wake-up call to the owners that the project isn't working. We aren't making progress at the elite level. Playing someone like Mamadou Sarr in their debut Champions League game shows we don't have the depth in the squad, despite spending over a billion. If the club do not learn from this, we risk having a long period of not being competitive at the real elite level.

Chris: It's ironic for a team so fixated on holding the ball and passing it for 25 minutes that we look a lot better on a quick break. We seem to only have plan A and stick to it even when it hasn't worked all game. Don't see it changing but they gave Rosenior a stupidly long contract so logically have to stick with him for three or so years. Boring, boring Chelsea.

Jake: Embarrassing and beyond disappointing. Worst Chelsea performance I have seen in 14 years going to watch. No fight, no desire and no leaders. It's just one negative after another with the club now.

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Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin says the Blues' 8-2 aggregate defeat by Paris St-Germain was "no fluke" and "you have to start asking some questions" of the club's ownership.

Chelsea suffered their joint-heaviest defeat in a two‑legged European tie, with many fans chanting for former owner Roman Abramovich, against the current ownership watching from the directors' box, and leaving early.

"They took a massive risk at the start of the game, going with a back three, man-to-man with two 20-year-olds dragged out to full-back," Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Mamadou Sarr against [Kvicha] Kvaratskhelia and Jorrel Hato against [Bradley] Barcola just wasn't fair on those young kids.

"It was bold but it was also just wrong. It didn't work at all. PSG scored right from the start from that position and it was obvious where the danger was going to be.

"PSG cruised and picked Chelsea off. Chelsea got in some good positions but the final bit of quality that PSG have is incomparable.

"8-2 over this two-legged tie is not flattering and it's no fluke. Chelsea are this far off the standard of this kind of side. They beat them in the Club World Cup but I was never buying that. This is a lot more realistic as to where teams really are.

"Chelsea fans had left after 70 minutes and there is a realism here that it is problematic. They are closer to relegation than to Arsenal and this is a team that has spent £1.5bn.

"This is four years into the project. You have to start asking some questions."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Dan Roan
Sports editor

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The Premier League says it applied leniency on the grounds that Chelsea's new Clearlake ownership self-reported rule-breaches committed under a previous era, and that the current hierarchy displayed "exceptional" levels of co-operation. It has also made clear that the secret payments did not mean profit and sustainability rules limiting losses would have been broken.

"It is worth remembering that... this sanction is because of activities that happened under the previous Chelsea regime," Richard Monks, the chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator, told the BBC on Tuesday.

"It's not the current owners or executive group. What we'll be doing is working with the Premier League to understand if there's anybody involved in that case still involved in football, and if necessary we can investigate if we thought they were unsuitable to continue to be in football."

For those former Chelsea executives who have since left the game, that will be of little concern. And some rivals undoubtedly feel that for a club with a squad worth £1.5bn - the most expensively assembled in football history - a £10m fine is insufficient.

And while the current ownership was in no way to blame for the wrongdoing, they have arguably benefited from the considerable success achieved during the Abramovich era, which has only increased the value of their asset.

"Galling" is how one former senior Manchester United executive - who was at Old Trafford during that period - described the Chelsea situation to BBC Sport. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they claimed that "United lost out on players, Hazard most prominently [in 2012], due to their actions."

They added: "I have sympathy for the change of ownership point, but it's hardly a deterrent if you can sell before you get caught... some actual transfer ban would have been appropriate."

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

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Chelsea have shown in spells – most notably when they beat Paris St‑Germain 3-0 in the Club World Cup final in July – that they are capable of defeating anyone on their day. The issue is their inability to consistently reproduce that level, a flaw that continues to undermine them both domestically and in Europe.

In the Champions League, holders PSG have comfortably beaten Chelsea over two legs, underlining their own ability to consistently play at a high level.

Chelsea, on the other hand, went all in for the first leg and were beaten 5-2 because of poor concentration, individual errors and ill‑discipline, rather than a lack of technical quality.

And the second leg began in the same manner when Mamadou Sarr, 20, lacked conviction defending a long ball to give Khvicha Kvaratskhelia the yard he needed to do the damage.

It was not just Sarr, Moises Caicedo was at fault for the second and Trevoh Chalobah got away with a bad mistake in the 33rd minute.

Of course, Sarr only played because of selection problems linked to Rosenior picking his strongest XI against Newcastle on Saturday, a match Chelsea lost 1-0. Reece James has suffered a potentially serious hamstring injury, while players such as Cole Palmer, Caicedo and Pedro Neto appear fatigued despite starting.

Alongside Sarr, 10 other members of this Chelsea squad had not played in this competition before this season, highlighting how this is a new frontier for so many of them.

It perhaps stands to reason that this is too much too soon for such the youngest starting XI to play a Champions League knockout game for Chelsea, regardless of the expectation of the shirt they wear.

But Chelsea have now lost four consecutive Champions League knockout games for the first time in the club's history.

This is a squad capable of beating anyone on its day, which has led to cup successes in the Conference League and Club World Cup and they could yet deliver FA Cup silverware to the Todd Boehly and Clearlake ownership.

However, those days do not come often enough to win a competition like the Premier League or Champions League.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, speaking to TNT Sports: "A tough night. We knew it was a tough ask and to start the game in the manner that we did. We had the ball in the final third. You can't make mistakes at this level. We had the ball in their box and Barcola hit one from 25 yards into the top corner. Their belief grows.

On the difference between the two: "They were clinical. The third goal, the ball breaks, and he hits in the top corner. I haven't looked at the stats yet, but we had a lot of shots. They didn't make mistakes. I want to thank the fans because they saw how hard the lads worked.

On Mamadou Sarr: "Mamadou, he's a very good player, but we missed our two starting right-backs. There are times when you have to put players in, and you have to trust them. It took the wind out of our sails."

On Trevoh Chalobah injury: "Trevoh, I just asked the medical team. He's got a high ankle sprain, so I'm praying it's nothing too serious because we can't lose another defender.

"When you go through a difficult run, you have to make sure your habits are right. We have a really difficult game at Everton, and we have to be at our best to get a result there."

Did you know?

• Chelsea have lost four successive knockout stage games for the very first time in the UEFA Champions League, with this the Blues' joint-heaviest defeat on aggregate in a two-legged knockout tie in the competition (alongside 7-1 vs FC Bayern München in the 2019-20 last 16).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Chelsea's performance?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Chelsea make four changes for the second leg of the Champions League against Paris St-Germain.

Reece James was injured in the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday, while Malo Gusto misses out through illness.

Alejandro Garnacho and Wesley Fofana drop to the bench with Mamadou Sarr, Jorrel Hato, Andrey Santos and Pedro Neto coming in. Estevao Willian makes the squad for the first time in over a month.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Chalobah, Sarr, Hato, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto, Joao Pedro

Subs: Merrick, Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Tosin, Fofana, Lavia, Kavuma-McQueen, Estevao, Garnacho, Mheuka, Guiu, Delap

Paris Saint-Germain make just one change from the 5-2 win over Chelsea last week in the first leg after their weekend Ligue 1 game against Nantes was postponed.

Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, who scored twice off the bench at Parc Des Princes, replaces Desire Doue.

PSG XI: Safanov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Neves, Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola

Subs: Chevalier, Marin, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Ramos, Doue, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Dro Fernandez, Mbaye

There are four games in the Champions League on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Sporting v Bodo Glimt (17:45)

• Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Chelsea v Paris St-Germain

• Manchester City v Real Madrid - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Man City v Real Madrid".

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.

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We asked you about how significant an impact Reece James' injury will have on Chelsea's season.

Here's what you said:

James: The injury to James is a big blow, especially considering the lack of experience in the team, but sadly we have been here before and it is now time for others to step up in what is hopefully a short absence.

John: It's a massive blow losing James, Gusto can't tie his boots and is so inferior in James' absence. Rosenior should play Achaempong, who is far superior to Gusto.

Stu: Considering they keep playing him in midfield where he usually gets exposed, I don't think it'll make much difference in that sense, however the fact he is captain and is a great influence on this inconsistent fledgling squad is something that can't be replaced. It's very bad timing for Chelsea.

Alex: Losing our captain at such a crucial stage of the season is painful. RJ has really stepped up and it's clear he's stepped out to of his comfort zone into the role of captain. He's not vocal as Terry was. His leadership is more akin to Azpi… leading by example on the pitch and off the pitch with his professionalism and the relationships he nurtures around the club. I hope it's a minor injury, so he'll be back after the international break, for the final push for top four.

Shaun: He's too injury prone. Fantastic when fit, but for a club captain the team needs him every single game. We should have sold him in the summer.

Olushola Simon: Who can I blame? A manager who has Santos, Lavia and Essugo but still plays an injury-prone captain twice in an unfamiliar position twice in space of few days... Two right backs in the same starting eleven and it has back fired, zero points, a huge blow but just a light on how badly Chelsea's season could end...

Stuart: Unfortunately, given his history we've been half expecting this to happen all season, and now one of our few consistent players is out for a while. Big blow.

Watch BBC Sport's football issues correspondent Dale Johnson analyse Chelsea being handed a Premier League record fine and suspended transfer ban as a result of the club making secret payments to unregistered agents and third-parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018.

"They made £47.5m in payments to unlicensed agents over an eight-year period," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"Half of that was on very important players. Eden Hazard was signed in 2012. From 2013 to 2016 Chelsea paid around £6.5m to a company associated with the agents of the player.

"You've got to ask, have Chelsea got off fairly lightly? In respect to them only getting a £10m and suspended transfer ban when they got one of the most coveted and best players in the world in 2012 and then you find out about these payments."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea and Scotland winger

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I am in London for Chelsea's attempt to pull back a three-goal deficit against Paris St-Germain in the Champions League. Liam Rosenior's side will certainly need some luck to turn this one around.

It is a very long shot but not impossible. Their week hasn't gone well, with the defeat at home by Newcastle darkening the mood that was positive just seven days ago.

The farcical sight of the referee being surrounded by Chelsea's huddle didn't help the optics.

I mentioned a few weeks back that the initial run of games under the new coach were the softest introduction a new manager could get in the Premier League and that this current run of games was the time to start giving informed opinions.

The win over Aston Villa was positive, but the games will continue to be more testing over the next few weeks. Champions League qualification will be decided during this period.

I was with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness last week, and he felt that Chelsea's problem getting to the next level revolved around not having enough truly experienced senior pros in the group. Many others have said this before, and they might just have a point.

It is the Chelsea plan to totally rely on younger players, but is that the one thing that is actually holding them back?

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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Chelsea have been handed a Premier League record fine of £10.75m and a suspended transfer ban.

It was a result of the club making secret payments to unregistered agents and third-parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018.

With the Blues enjoying so much success after signing star players through secret payments, did they get off lightly?

If the club had not been so co-operative they faced a much tougher financial penalty and potentially a points deduction.

The starting point was the aggravating factors - length of time of the wrongdoing, the size of payments, that they were made with the knowledge of senior figures and the seriousness of the breaches.

The Premier League Board concluded Chelsea should be fined £20m with a transfer ban for two complete and consecutive windows.

But there were mitigating factors to take into account.

BlueCo, which bought Chelsea out of Abramovich's ownership, self-reported the breaches once it had looked through the club's books.

Added to that, BlueCo made voluntary disclosures and showed "exceptional co-operation".

This saw the fine halved to £10m and the two-window transfer ban suspended.

The suspension will be activated if they commit a similar breach in the next two years.

The Board also reserved the right to be able to trigger the suspension at any time in the future if the club makes intentionally untrue declarations.

Chelsea were, however, ordered to pay an unpaid transfer levy of £771,288 in connection to Willian and Samuel Eto'o. They were banned from signing academy players for nine months, too.

Importantly, there was no breach of profit and sustainability rules.

When the payments were added to Chelsea's accounts they were not in excess of the £105m, three-season spending limit.

If they had been then the prospect of a points deduction would have been real.

The Blues had already been fined 10m euros (£8.6m) by Uefa over the same offences.

And Chelsea still have to face a hearing over 74 Football Association charges, which is likely to be another hefty fine.

So this is not quite over yet.

Read more answers to questions about Chelsea's hidden payments

Newcastle fear being dragged into another Alexander Isak-style saga with Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25, amid speculation of a £100m move to Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Real Madrid. (The I), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Just days after signing a new long-term contract with the club, Chelsea captain Reece James could be out for weeks with a hamstring injury.

The defender has been ruled out for the Blues' return leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Paris St-Germain on Tuesday, which they will start 5-2 down, but when asked whether it might be that James misses a number weeks, Chelsea boss Rosenior replied: "It could be."

The Blues boss added: "With a hamstring injury, it is never great. We can hopefully get him scanned, find out the full extent and then we will know more because we know how important he is and what a leader he is in the group.

"He felt something in his hamstring at the end of the game against Newcastle. It's really frustrating and a disappointing one for us."

Having stayed relatively injury-free this season following a number of disrupted campaigns, it will be a concern for the club and Chelsea fans as they head into a crucial final few weeks of the season trying to secure Champions League football for next term and win silverware.

What do you make of the news? How big a blow could it be for the Blues' season? Is there enough in the squad to cover both his position and leadership?

Get in touch with your views here

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

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Chelsea will be relieved to avoid a sporting sanction, which had been the primary concern since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership reported discrepancies discovered during their purchase of the club from Roman Abramovich.

The club notes that the Premier League's investigation shows that even if the higher estimated costs of the off‑books payments to agents had been included in previous Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) calculations, the club would still have been compliant.

Their statement also stresses that they effectively opened up their entire bookkeeping system to the Premier League for the purposes of the investigation.

All parties say that thousands of documents were reviewed.

The nine‑month academy transfer ban is a setback. It applies to all age groups above the entry‑level under‑nines, although it will not affect overseas recruitment.

The ban was issued because of "early contact" made without the selling club's permission.

However, Chelsea point out that these breaches occurred under the previous leadership.

The fact the mitigating circumstances highlighted that the fine could have been £20m – and that a transfer ban and a points deduction were also considered – shows how Chelsea's decision to be fully cooperative was a sound judgement.