Chelsea may face punishment from the Premier League for potential violations of Financial Fair Play rules during the Roman Abramovich era.
A recent investigation by The Guardian has revealed several payments, totaling tens of millions of pounds, that were made over a ten-year period through Abramovich’s offshore entities. The report suggests that beneficiaries of these payments include Eden Hazard’s agent and an associate of Antonio Conte, who won the Premier League title in 2017. The investigation also implicates the transfer deals involving Willian and Samuel Eto ‘o.
Chelsea’s new owners voluntarily handed over files containing incomplete financial information about Roman Abramovich‘s time as owner. This led to a fine of £8.6 million ($10.7 million) from UEFA.
However, the consequences could be more serious in the long run. If these payments are found to violate football rules, such as Financial Fair Play (FFP), the Premier League could impose severe penalties on Chelsea, including a possible deduction of points.
The investigation by the Premier League is still ongoing, so the payments need to be proven to violate FFP rules before any punishments can be determined. If there is a possibility of a deduction, Mauricio Pochettino’s team will aim to earn more points after the international break. They will face an injury-plagued Newcastle on November 25.
