CHELSEA’S announcement of Emanuel Emegha from Strasbourg has put the French club on the brink of a civil war.
Dutchman Emegha, 22, posed with a Chelsea shirt at the club’s Cobham training ground on Saturday, as the Blues agreed a deal to sign the striker from their BlueCo sister club in 2026.
Emanuel Emegha was booed by his own Strasbourg fans after agreeing to join ChelseaGetty
The striker will swap one BlueCo club for another next yearGetty
GettyStrasbourg supporters held up banners and booed Emegha[/caption]
While Chelsea will add another striker to their ranks, already including Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, Strasbourg will lose their top goalscorer, captain and one of their most promising players.
Strasbourg made it three wins from four in Ligue 1 on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Le Havre.
But the headlines were made off the pitch by multiple banners in the stands, and a public stand-off between the team’s ultras and English coach Liam Rosenior.
Banners took aim at Emegha himself, demanding he resign as club captain, as well as Mark Keller, the club’s president, and BlueCo.
One read: “Emegha, BlueCo’s pawn, after switching jerseys, give back your armband.”
Emegha didn’t play in the match against Le Havre, but was presented as the club’s August Player of the Month before the game, only to be booed throughout the presentation.
After the match, Rosenior took his players to the newly-built south stand, rather than the usual west stand where the ultras sit, and slammed the behaviour of those fans in his post-match press conference.
He said: “Emanuel Emegha was devastated, and so was I. I am very disappointed with what I saw.
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“Seeing banners against one of the best players last season is unacceptable.
“My players deserve much more. They have an impeccable mindset and do not deserve this treatment.
“We are in a pivotal season in which we will play in Europe in the Conference League, but it seems that a minority is not happy with these performances.
“It won’t change anything at all because I remain very proud of my players, and Emanuel Emegha will remain captain as long as he is here.
“Last year, this team gave everything for the fans. I am disappointed with the reaction of the supporters: that small portion of supporters who do not give my players the respect they deserve.
“We give everything for the jersey. I didn’t come from England to not give my life for this club. I can understand the various issues regarding ownership.
“Now is not the time for these disputes; we all need to be united. If we’re not good enough, I accept the criticism, but questioning our commitment is a problem.”
Emegha also hit back at the fans who booed him on social media, posting an Instagram story.
The picture showed him smiling, holding up a Strasbourg shirt with ‘Emegoat’ on the back, accompanied by the caption: “Whether you want it or not.”
Chelsea ratings vs Brentford as fit-again Palmer shines but rusty Fofana costs Blues
CHELSEA fluffed their chance to go top of the Premier League as Fabio Carvalho’s dramatic injury-time equaliser earned Brentford a well-deserved point.
Super-sub Cole Palmer had levelled for the Blues in his first appearance since the opening day of the season.
And, when Moises Caicedo wellied in a second with five minutes left, Chelsea seemed set to secure a third win in four games to start the new campaign.
Enzo Maresca had made four changes from the Blues’ last Prem game against Fulham with Wesley Fofana and Jorrell Hato among those coming in.
It showed as the Bees were the better side for large spells.
And the hosts got what they deserved as Carvalho lost new-boy Alejandro Garnacho at the far post to tap in deep into injury time.
Click here to see how SunSport Chelsea Reporter Lloyd Canfield rated the players…
While some are filled with rage, other sections of the fanbase have come out in support of BlueCo and their club on social media, going as far as telling the team’s ultras that they should be ashamed of themselves.
One wrote: “Eight years that I’ve been coming, this year I’ve decided to no longer sit in the West Stand. Ultras, how do we explain your behaviour?
“Banners, fights in the stands, tension, chants, whistles, and insults, to our future children?
“I’m ashamed that you’re part of my club. All my support to our captain and our president.”
Tensions were already running high between Strasbourg fans and their BlueCo owners who also run Chelsea.
The Ishe Samuels-Smith deal between the Ligue 1 side and Chelsea this summer angered many fans in France.
Having signed the promising full-back from Chelsea for £6.5million, he moved back to the Blues just 33 days later, having not played a game, and was then loaned to Swansea City on deadline day.
Chelsea paid £4m for Samuels-Smith from Everton in 2023.
The French club ended up signing another unwanted Chelsea left-back, Ben Chilwell, before the window closed.
The furious banners added: “Samuels-Smith bought for 10 times his value, left 34 days later for an undisclosed amount.
“They really take us for fools.”
“Mark Keller, thank you for this golden decade. It’s time to GO AWAY!”
XLiam Rosenior took the players to the fans – but avoided the angry ultras[/caption]
AlamyBen Chilwell joined Strasbourg after the Ishe Samuels-Smith saga[/caption]
GettyThe left-back was sold by Chelsea to the French club but then returned and went on loan to Swansea[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
