7th November 2025
November 7 – Racism reared its ugly head again this week as Chelsea’s academy side was subjected to alleged abuse during a UEFA Youth League match against Qarabag in Baku.
Sol Gordon had just put Chelsea ahead when a section of home fans reportedly made monkey gestures and noises toward the players.
The match was halted as the referee, Dmytro Kubriak, and Chelsea head coach Calum McFarlane discussed whether to continue. Per UEFA guidelines, Kubriak could have led the players off the pitch, had Chelsea insisted, and they would’ve been well within their rights if they had.
Instead, the Blues youngsters elected to continue and proceeded to slay the racists and Qarabag in a 5–0 thrashing.
Chelsea released a statement afterward: “Racism and all forms of discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable and have no place in football or indeed in society. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible.” The club confirmed it has already raised the incident with UEFA and Qarabag.
Qarabag officials apologised, insisting the behavior “doesn’t represent the values of the club” and promising a full investigation. UEFA’s disciplinary body will now review the referee’s report before taking any action.
Sadly, this isn’t new territory for Chelsea. From Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel, to Antonio Rüdiger, the club’s players have faced racial abuse both abroad and at home. Each time, the clubs responsible trot out the “doesn’t represent the values of the club” cliché, and yet here we are again, now watching teenagers deal with hate that has no place in the game.
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