Chelsea players are facing potential wage reductions of up to £2 million each after a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest dealt a severe blow to their Champions League hopes. The loss, the Blues' sixth consecutive Premier League defeat, leaves them in ninth place on 48 points from 35 games.
According to reports, contractual clauses in players' contracts stipulate wage cuts of between £30,000 and £40,000 per week if Champions League qualification is not achieved. With the current squad size, the club would make savings exceeding £50 million.
Chelsea trail sixth-placed Bournemouth by four points with only three matches remaining. A top-six finish could still secure a Champions League spot if Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, but the gap appears increasingly difficult to bridge.
Interim manager Calum McFarlane expressed fury after the match, saying: 'The first 15 minutes were unacceptable. The manner of the two goals conceded really set us back and gave us a mountain to climb.' He added that the team would review the performance ahead of their next fixture against Liverpool.
Chelsea have three league games left: away to Liverpool, home to Tottenham, and away to Sunderland, as well as an FA Cup final against Manchester City. The outcome of these matches will determine whether the pay cuts are triggered.
