Chelsea will ask their fans to stop a sectarian chant after it was heard during Monday's Premier League season opener against Fulham. The Blues secured a 3-2 victory in a dramatic West London derby at Craven Cottage, but the match was marred by discriminatory singing from a section of the away support.
The game itself was a thrilling affair. Chelsea took the lead within the first minute through Joao Pedro. Fulham's Josh King equalised, but Morgan Rogers put Chelsea back ahead with a goal on his debut. Cole Palmer extended the lead shortly after half-time. Fulham fought back, with debutant Gonzalo Garcia scoring in the 54th minute to make it 3-2, setting up a tense finale where the hosts pushed for an equaliser. Chelsea held on for the three points. Manager Xabi Alonso was pleased with his side's resilience. "We know the Premier League is fantastic because sometimes the games are out of your hands," he said.
Club officials became aware of a sectarian chant, known as 'Flute for 50 Pence', being sung by a small group of Chelsea fans during the match. The chant includes offensive lines directed at the Pope and the IRA. In response, Chelsea have written an email to supporters who travelled to the game. The message thanked fans for their support but stated the club had received multiple reports of the discriminatory chanting. It strongly reminded attendees that Chelsea does not condone such behaviour and that those found guilty could face indefinite suspension and ejection from matches. The email also referenced previous club fines and charges for similar incidents and asked for collective responsibility.
Another notable subplot involved Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine player was heavily jeered by Fulham supporters throughout the match. This reaction is understood to be a response to Fernandez taunting England after Argentina's victory over them at the 2022 World Cup. His introduction as a substitute was met with particular venom from the home crowd, adding to the derby's heated atmosphere.
For Fulham, the narrow defeat in a frenetic derby offers both encouragement and frustration. They showed fight to come back twice and were only a goal behind the title-chasing Blues. Marco Silva's side created chances and saw a positive debut goal from Gonzalo Garcia. The immediate focus shifts to correcting their defensive record, having conceded three times, as they prepare for their next fixture away to Sunderland on 30 August. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings and look ahead to the upcoming match on our fixtures page. The result leaves them looking for their first points of the campaign.
