An incident at Stamford Bridge involving a fan confronting Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is under investigation by Chelsea and the Metropolitan Police.
The fan seemed to push Dubravka after Chelsea's injury-time equalizer on Tuesday.
Stewards intervened, removing the fan, yet discussions between referee Jarred Gillett and Chelsea security staff continued before the penalty shootout.
The goal in the 92nd minute triggered jubilant celebrations at Stamford Bridge, with one fan excessively confronting Martin Dubravka amid the chaos.
Surprisingly, the fan wasn't ejected but rather allowed back to his seat.
Martin Hardy, a sports enthusiast, expressed surprise and concern about the incident, highlighting the need for player protection, especially considering previous abuse towards players in the Premier League.
He advocated for better-trained and better-paid stewards to handle such situations effectively, aiming to prevent similar behaviors in the future.
His thoughts were shared on his social media platform X post-incident: "Good of the Chelsea steward to help the Chelsea fan who confronted Martin Dubravka back into the stand.
“Can’t help but feel that incidents like this, abuse Watkins faced at Brentford and Nufc issues at Sheff Wed would be better served with more and better trained/paid stewards”.
No arrests have been made after the incident.
Chelsea emerged victorious in the EFL quarter-final tie on penalties after a 1-1 draw, as Kieran Trippier and Matt Ritchie missed penalties for Newcastle.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino voiced his disappointment and concern, emphasizing the potential danger such incidents pose to players.
Pochettino urged fans to be cautious, highlighting his disagreement with such behavior not only at Stamford Bridge but also in other stadiums globally.
The Argentine said: "I'm disappointed. I don't agree with this type of thing that happened here in Stamford Bridge and in other stadiums in England or around the world. It's always disappointing with this type of thing because it's dangerous."
Nick Pope, Newcastle's first-choice goalkeeper, remains unavailable due to a shoulder injury, leaving Dubravka to deputize in his stead for the past five matches.
Following Pope's injury, Newcastle have struggled to keep a clean sheet managing only one win and one clean sheet in their last five games.
The incident raised concerns about fan behavior and player safety, prompting investigations by both the club and law enforcement.
The incident overshadowed Chelsea's victory, prompting calls for increased vigilance and measures to safeguard players from similar incidents in the future.
The fan seemed to push Dubravka after Chelsea's injury-time equalizer on Tuesday.
Stewards intervened, removing the fan, yet discussions between referee Jarred Gillett and Chelsea security staff continued before the penalty shootout.
The goal in the 92nd minute triggered jubilant celebrations at Stamford Bridge, with one fan excessively confronting Martin Dubravka amid the chaos.
Surprisingly, the fan wasn't ejected but rather allowed back to his seat.
Martin Hardy, a sports enthusiast, expressed surprise and concern about the incident, highlighting the need for player protection, especially considering previous abuse towards players in the Premier League.
He advocated for better-trained and better-paid stewards to handle such situations effectively, aiming to prevent similar behaviors in the future.
His thoughts were shared on his social media platform X post-incident: "Good of the Chelsea steward to help the Chelsea fan who confronted Martin Dubravka back into the stand.
“Can’t help but feel that incidents like this, abuse Watkins faced at Brentford and Nufc issues at Sheff Wed would be better served with more and better trained/paid stewards”.
No arrests have been made after the incident.
Chelsea emerged victorious in the EFL quarter-final tie on penalties after a 1-1 draw, as Kieran Trippier and Matt Ritchie missed penalties for Newcastle.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino voiced his disappointment and concern, emphasizing the potential danger such incidents pose to players.
Pochettino urged fans to be cautious, highlighting his disagreement with such behavior not only at Stamford Bridge but also in other stadiums globally.
The Argentine said: "I'm disappointed. I don't agree with this type of thing that happened here in Stamford Bridge and in other stadiums in England or around the world. It's always disappointing with this type of thing because it's dangerous."
Nick Pope, Newcastle's first-choice goalkeeper, remains unavailable due to a shoulder injury, leaving Dubravka to deputize in his stead for the past five matches.
Following Pope's injury, Newcastle have struggled to keep a clean sheet managing only one win and one clean sheet in their last five games.
The incident raised concerns about fan behavior and player safety, prompting investigations by both the club and law enforcement.
The incident overshadowed Chelsea's victory, prompting calls for increased vigilance and measures to safeguard players from similar incidents in the future.