Chelsea escape points deduction following Etihad Stadium brawl, while Blues defender signs new deal
Chelsea have avoided a points deduction after being slapped with a £100,000 fine following the mass brawl which concluded their Premier League victory at Manchester City earlier this month.
The ugly scenes prompted the Stamford Bridge club’s fifth charge of failing to control their players in 19 months, which brought with it the threat of a loss of points.
When the Football Association doled out their previous punishment to the Blues for such an offence, after May’s tetchy showdown with Tottenham, the governing body alluded to a graver sanction if there was a repeat offence.
As it was, Chelsea were fined a mere £100,000, considerably less than the £375,000 which was payable following the scuffles against Spurs, while City were hit with a £35,000 penalty.
A points deduction would have represented a huge blow to Chelsea, who returned to the summit of the Premier League with a gritty 1-0 victory over West Brom on Sunday.
Defender Cesar Azpilicueta, meanwhile, has committed his long-term future to Chelsea after signing a new three-and-a-half year contract which runs until 2020. The 27-year-old joined the Blues from Marseille in 2012 for £7m.
“Look back, it was a good piece of business for us,” said Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, whose side play Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday. “Now, I think, his valuation is very high. He’s an important player who can play in different roles, so it was a good affair for the club.”
Conte, however, was forced to deny reports that skipper John Terry has been told he will not be offered a new deal when his current contract expires at the end of the season. He added: “That discussion has not taken place.”