Chelsea’s captain, Reece James, is facing charges from the English Football Association (FA) after an alleged confrontation with an official following his team’s 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Despite being sidelined with an injury, the 23-year-old full-back reportedly had a heated exchange with the official in the tunnel after the match.
The FA has charged him with allegedly using “improper and/or insulting and/or abusive words” toward the official. Although Reece James wasn’t part of the Chelsea squad that lost to Villa, he attended the match and approached the official, potentially leading to a suspension.
As he focuses on recovering from his hamstring injury sustained during the Premier League opener against Liverpool, his immediate concern is responding to the FA’s charges before any disciplinary action is decided.
The FA’s statement reads, “Reece James has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 following Chelsea’s Premier League game against Aston Villa on Sunday, 24 September. It’s alleged that the defender used improper and/or insulting and/or abusive words and/or behavior towards a match official in the tunnel after the game. Reece James has until Friday, 29 September, to provide a response to this charge.”