Chelsea have been charged by the Football Association following an incident in their Premier League defeat to Aston Villa last month, where a plastic bottle was thrown towards the visiting dugout.
The bottle, which appeared to contain water, was launched from the stands at Stamford Bridge late in the match, splashing liquid on Villa coaching staff and players. Chelsea had previously expressed frustration at what they perceived as time-wasting by the visitors, with Villa set-piece coach Austin McPhee seen deliberately throwing a second ball onto the pitch to prevent a quick Chelsea throw-in.
The west London club said after the 2-1 loss—where Ollie Watkins scored twice to overturn Chelsea's lead—that they would investigate the source of the thrown object. The match proved to be Enzo Maresca's penultimate game in charge before his departure following a subsequent draw with Bournemouth.
On Friday, the FA announced the charge, stating in a release: “It’s alleged that the club failed to ensure its players and/or other relevant personnel positioned around the technical area after the final whistle did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way.” Chelsea have until 12 January 2026 to respond.
