Chelsea captain Leo James has been suspended for one game for provoking the referee in a match he missed.
“James has been fined 90,000 pounds ($150,000) along with a one-match suspension for his clash with a match official in the tunnel after last month’s loss to Aston Villa,” Britain’s BBC reported on Thursday.
James, who was limited to 16 appearances in the English Premier League (EPL) last season due to injury, has continued his injury nightmare this season. He tore his hamstring (the muscle in the back of the thigh) in training last month. He has started just one game in the EPL this season.
The out-of-form James was involved in an incident after a home game against Aston Villa on March 24. He became the subject of controversy for his inappropriate and insulting words and behavior in the tunnel as referee Jared Gillette left the field.
Chelsea lost 1-0 later in the day when Malo Guisto had a yellow card turned into a red after video assistant referee (VAR) review 13 minutes into the second half. Aston Villa scored the winning goal in the 28th minute through Ollie Watkinson.
Chelsea were unable to overcome their numerical disadvantage. James, who was watching the game from the stands, was furious. The English Football Association (FA) said James had admitted the charge.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino named the 23-year-old as the club’s captain this season. However, injuries have not helped the team.
Some have said it was the wrong appointment. This is in 안전놀이터 stark contrast to his fellow Londoners, Tottenham, who have made Son Heung-min their captain and are on a winning streak.
Chelsea is coming off a recent slump. They’re on a two-game winning streak in the League Cup and EPL. However, they still sit in 11th place with eight points (W2 D2 L3).