Chelsea have more to say on Evra fracas

Sam Wallace
Thursday 08 May 2008 00:00 BST
Comments
Manchester United's Patrice Evra at the centre of the melee that took place after his sides defeat at Chelsea
Manchester United's Patrice Evra at the centre of the melee that took place after his sides defeat at Chelsea (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The title race is not yet over and the Champions League final is 13 days away, but today the battle over what happened between Manchester United's players and Chelsea's groundstaff on 26 April at Stamford Bridge commences. Chelsea will file their report which, sources at the club say, includes more incidents involving United players than those which have already been reported.

The deadline for submissions to the Football Association is today in what is likely to prove a bitter legal battle between the two clubs. Chelsea have hired their usual barrister Jim Sturman QC, who represented the club in the Ashley Cole tapping-up inquiry. They also have the CCTV footage of the fight between Patrice Evra and Sam Bethell, the Chelsea groundsman, which led to a melee.

That incident and a separate one in which Rio Ferdinand kicked a female steward in the stadium tunnel – which the player has since apologised for and claimed was accidental – are also part of the Chelsea submission. However, it is understood that Chelsea may have more complaints to make. United are expected to claim that Gary Neville and the coach Mike Phelan heard a member of the Chelsea staff refer to Evra as a "fucking immigrant". Chelsea will deny this, possibly claiming that the word was "idiot".

The case is likely to centre upon what it was that provoked Evra because it now seems that both sides accept that – whatever set off the left-back – he did not hear it first hand. Either way it will be a minefield for the FA disciplinary department who will be expected to make a decision on one club's word against another and from studying grainy camera footage and pictures which are likely to be inconclusive to say the least.

With the alleged racist element to the case, there is a great deal of sensitivity around it and the FA are duty-bound to investigate it as far as they can. The case is also likely to hang heavy over both clubs, the hierarchies of which will be thrown together at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on 21 May.

Given that David Gill, the chief executive of Manchester United, once served a legal letter on his opposite number Peter Kenyon over the John Obi Mikel transfer, it is not exactly as if they are the best of friends.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in