Chelsea warn staff after Joao Pedro injury leak

According to BBC Sport, the club emailed staff that day to warn them about the risks of using inside information on Fantasy Premier League and other public gaming platforms.

The concern arose after Pedro was a surprise absentee for Chelsea’s 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham due to a quad injury.

Fantasy Premier League content creators claimed that Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers and some Chelsea staff had removed Pedro from their fantasy teams before kick-off, ahead of the official confirmation.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said he was unaware of the alleged leak.

“I am not into the fantasy team thing, so I didn’t know that,” Alonso said.

Chelsea have faced similar leaks before. During former manager Liam Rosenior’s spell last season, team selections were leaked before both legs of their Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.

BBC Sport also noted similar alleged incidents involving players at Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester City and Newcastle United, including the case of Jack Grealish in February 2021, when his absence for Aston Villa against Leicester City was reportedly revealed through fantasy team changes.

More than 11 million people play Fantasy Premier League. While the Premier League has strict gambling rules, it does not issue specific guidance on fantasy participation, leaving clubs to manage the issue themselves.