Chelsea’s ownership group faces protests in London and France
Chelsea’s BlueCo ownership group faces a turbulent weekend with demonstrations planned in both London and France over the coming days, reports BritPanorama.
Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Brentford, the supporter collective ‘Not a Project CFC’ will stage a protest at Stamford Bridge, with fans eager to express their discontent following Enzo Maresca’s departure as manager.
Across the Channel, Strasbourg’s Ultra Boys 90 have announced their own demonstration for Sunday, timed to coincide with their Ligue 1 encounter with Metz. The French ultras’ anger centres on Liam Rosenior’s switch from Strasbourg to Chelsea, which occurred just one week ago.
In a strongly-worded statement, Ultra Boys 90 declared that Rosenior’s exit represented “another concrete manifestation of the subordination of RCS to the interests of Chelsea FC within BlueCo.” They insisted that “whatever the future results, this decision illustrates the vertical functioning of multi-ownership: Chelsea helps itself, Strasbourg suffers.” The ultras reflected on the club’s remarkable journey from the fifth division to Ligue 1 before BlueCo’s June 2023 takeover, asserting that “our Racing deserves better.”
The Ultras continued by questioning the local authorities’ investment of 160 million euros in the renovation of the Meinau stadium, pointing to the misuse of public funds. They stated, “We will not stand idly by. The management is trying to silence the protest with sanctions. We will continue to use all legal means to defend a simple principle: Racing must exist for itself, for its city, for Alsace and its supporters, and not as a tool serving a global financial strategy.”
Ultra Boys 90 plan to march to the Meinau stadium before kick-off against Metz, displaying banners throughout the match. The group has consistently opposed BlueCo’s ownership, regularly unfurling a flag reading “No to multi-club ownership” in French. In his inaugural Chelsea press conference, Rosenior spoke warmly of his time in Alsace and praised the ownership structure, highlighting prior successes.
However, sources within the Strasbourg dressing room have expressed dismay at how events unfolded, with one insider stating to L’Equipe: “Rosenior would really leave like a thief. It’s incomprehensible. The team will implode; I see no other way out.” Former Wolves boss Gary O’Neill has since taken charge at Strasbourg, beginning his tenure with a 6-0 French Cup victory over Avranches. Meanwhile, Rosenior will oversee his first home Premier League match as Chelsea manager against Brentford on Saturday.
The tension surrounding Chelsea’s ownership raises questions about the impact of multi-club ownership on local clubs and their identities, an issue that resonates far beyond the immediate matches as fans rally to reclaim their voice.
