Chelsea’s struggles persist this season, with challenges plaguing them both on and off the field. Following their exploits in the transfer market under Todd Boehly, few would have imagined the conundrum they now find themselves in.
They were further damned when club captain Thiago Silva’s wife seemingly took a swipe at manager Mauricio Pochettino as their underwhelming season continues.
Belle Silva apologizes to Chelsea fans
Belle Silva tweeted out her frustrations with the club following Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge to a spirited Wolves side. Following her comments, Pochettino addressed the fans by apologizing and asking them for more time.
Her initial tweet, in which she said “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late”, was interpreted by many fans as an indirect jibe at Chelsea’s current manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose sacking many fans have called for. However, when the tweet went viral and was used a mouthpiece to demand for Pochettino’s dismissal, Belle Silva was quick to apologise.
“I’m sorry that my personal outburst as a passionate Chelsea fan has caused such an impact. I’m passionate about the team, I thrive on victories and I’m saddened by defeats. We all want the same thing, a winning team, come on Chelsea!!💙💙💙”, she wrote in a recent tweet.
This incident comes at a time when pressure on Mauricio Pochettino continues to mount following a season that has been dismal. Despite adding a host of players, Chelsea continues to misfire and there have been reports of the club looking to bring back Jose Mourinho, following a string of poor results under Pochettino.
Thiago Silva turns 40 this year, and there have also been rumours of him returning to his boyhood club of Fluminense in Brazil. His current contract ends in June 2024, and he will become a free agent in the coming summer.
Thiago Silva dropped from Chelsea starting XI
Following Belle Silva’s tweet, Thiago Silva was dropped from the starting 11 that faced Aston Villa last night in an emphatic 3-1 win. The Chelsea manager was questioned in a press conference before their fourth round FA Cup replay that if his decision to bench Thiago Silva had anything to do with his wife’s public outburst.
In response, the coach firmly instated that he chooses his players solely based on their form and performances, emphasizing that off-field issues had nothing to do with Thiago Silver’s absence from the starting XI.
Speaking on his conversation with Silva, Pochettino said, “He (Thiago Silva) came today to talk with me. I am not going to talk about the ‘what’ we were talking. The important thing is he came and wanted to talk with me and of course, you know me after more than 10 years, how I am. We are a very strong coaching staff and very strong in our way to operate and the way that we are. He came to talk; we talked and that was private and that is it. Private things for me, we keep inside.”
The veteran Brazilian defender was replaced by Frenchman Benoit Badiashile for the game which saw Chelsea win 3-1 in which Enzo Fernandes scored an incredible freekick from over 35 yards out. He celebrated passionately signaling the crowd that he is here to stay after there were rumours of him wanting to terminate his contract with Chelsea and move elsewhere as the club finished 10th in the league last year, currently languishing at 11th.
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