Manchester City and Chelsea have both been fined by the FA following the brawl towards the end of their game earlier this month at the Etihad. City have been fined £35,000 and Chelsea £100,000 after admitting a charge for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.
The ugly scenes that occurred in the fifth minute of injury time on December 3rd began when Sergio Aguero kicked out with an extremely late and high tackle on David Luiz. It was Chelsea’s fifth disciplinary charge in 19 months but they have fortunately avoided any point’s deduction.
The size of the Chelsea fine is a reflection of their poor record for player behavior though the Blues may feel slightly angry that the City players weren’t punished further, given it was Aguero’s tackle that sparked the fight.
A points deduction- a possibility which was described as a ‘joke’ by Antonio Conte would come as a huge blow to Chelsea who returned to the top of the League with a gritty 1-0 win against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
Meanwhile, defender Cesar Azpilicueta has committed his future with the Blues after signing a new three and a half year deal. The 27-year-old, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from Marseille four years ago for £7 million, has extended his deal until 2020.
Azpilicueta has been capped 18 times by Spain and started his career at Osasuna, where he made his La Liga debut in 2007.
“I’m really happy to have signed a new contract. Since I arrived here my target was to progress as a player and win trophies. This new contract gives me the chance to continue my relationship with the club, that’s what I wanted and obviously I’m really happy here,” Azpilicueta said on the club’s website (via Independent)
“Look back, it was a good piece of business for us,” said Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, whose side play Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday. “Now, I think, his valuation is very high. He’s an important player who can play in different roles, so it was a good affair for the club.”