Middlesbrough Slams ‘Bizarre’ Request From Chelsea to Play FA Cup Match Without Fans

Middlesbrough has called out Chelsea’s request to play Saturday’s FA Cup quarterfinal tie at the second-division side’s Riverside Stadium behind closed doors. 

Chelsea announced that the club has not been able to sell away tickets to the game “without appropriate amendments being made to the Government license which would allow a full allocation of Chelsea supporters to attend,” leading the club to ask for no fans to be present. 

“It is important for the competition that the match against Middlesbrough goes ahead, however it is with extreme reluctance that we are asking the FA board to direct that the game be played behind closed doors for matters of sporting integrity,” Chelsea wrote. “Chelsea FC recognizes that such an outcome would have a huge impact on Middlesbrough and its supporters, as well as our own fans who have already bought the limited number of tickets that were sold before the license was imposed, but we believe this is the fairest way of proceeding in the current circumstances.”

Chelsea ticket sales were stopped last week after the U.K. government sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich. However the club is still able to operate under a government license designed to weaken Abramovich’s ability to profit off the club while season-ticket holders can still attend games.  

On Tuesday, Middlesbrough responded to Chelsea’s request, calling it “both bizarre and without any merit whatsoever.”

“We are aware of Chelsea’s request to have Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup sixth round tie played behind closed doors and find their suggestion both bizarre and without any merit whatsoever,” Middlesbrough released in a statement. “All concerned are well aware of the reasons Chelsea have been sanctioned and that this has nothing to do with Middlesbrough Football Club. 

“To suggest as result that MFC and our fans should be penalized is not only grossly unfair but without any foundation. Given the reasons for these sanctions, for Chelsea to seek to invoke sporting ‘integrity’ as reason for the game being played behind closed doors is ironic in the extreme.”

However, the FA released a statement later on Tuesday saying that Chelsea has since rescinded its request to hold the match behind closed doors. 

Middlesbrough has enjoyed an upset-filled run to the sixth round round, defeating both Manchester United and Tottenham along the way. Meanwhile, after two straight FA Cup final losses, Chelsea is seeking its first FA Cup title since 2018. 

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea’s request to give tickets away to fans for free was not answered by the government after selling less than 600 tickets.