Chelsea have been fined by the Football Association following an incident at the end of last month's defeat to Aston Villa. A plastic water bottle was thrown towards the opposition bench in the aftermath of their 2-1 comeback at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro put the Blues ahead in the first half, getting the final touch on a looping corner from close range. Ollie Watkins, who came on for Emi Buendía after the break, pulled back an equaliser on the hour mark before scoring a late winner.
Tensions boiled over at full-time, and a plastic water bottle was thrown into the visitors' technical area. One member of the Aston Villa backroom staff was spotted pointing towards the Chelsea bench after the incident.
The FA have confirmed that the west London outfit have admitted to the charge. An official statement reads: "Chelsea FC has been sanctioned for a breach of FA Rule E20.1 that occurred at its Premier League fixture against Aston Villa FC on Saturday 27 December 2025.
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"It was alleged that the club failed to ensure its players and/or other relevant personnel around the technical area did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way after the final whistle.
"Chelsea FC subsequently admitted the charge. An independent Regulatory Commission has now imposed a £150,000 fine on the club following a hearing."
Enzo Maresca, who stepped down as Chelsea boss no more than a week after the incident, was forced to serve a suspension and watch the game from the stands. Speaking to reporters after the game, the former Blues boss said: "I think the goal we conceded for sure changed the dynamic of the game.
"I don't know if it's the three changes, but for sure, until the goal we conceded, we were in control. I think by the time we conceded the first goal, we should have scored two or three goals. And then after the goal we conceded, the game completely changed.
"For sure, we have to be clinical because, again, as I said, by the time they scored the goal, I think we should have scored two or three goals and the game is different.
"But also, it's probably how we can improve after we concede a goal to manage the game a little bit better, probably, in terms of game after game experience, these kind of things."
Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC, Unai Emery said: "We kept the same game plan we had at the first half, but the first half they were playing fantastic. They were dominating.
"We couldn't get the ball easily. We were defending low, we are defending well. We didn't concede corners, only one corner and they score. But we needed to be passionate and try to keep being resilient and we were speaking after the first half in the dressing room.
"Normally we could improve like we did because they were pushing a lot in the first half and in the second half we knew we could have our momentum, as well to control the game better than the first half."
