FA fine Forest and Chelsea for pitchside brawl

LONDON: Nottingham Forest and Chelsea were fined by the FA on Monday after their players were involved in a mass confrontation during a 1-1 Premier League draw earlier this month.

Forest were fined £125,000 ($162,300) and Chelsea £40,000 respectively.

“It was alleged that Nottingham Forest and Chelsea failed to ensure that their players did not behave in an inappropriate and/or provocative manner in the 88th minute and both clubs accepted this allegation,” the FA statement said.

During the match on 6 October at Stamford Bridge, Forest player Neco Williams sparked an on-field confrontation after his challenge on Chelsea’s Mark Cucurella sent the defender into the technical area, upending his coach Enzo Marescu.

Several players then engaged in hand-to-hand combat, including some from the substitutes’ bench, pushing each other before referee Chris Kavanagh regained control. A total of 11 yellow cards were received in the match.

Earlier this month, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was given a five-match stadium ban for spitting on the ground as match officials passed by in the tunnel during the 1-0 home defeat to Fulham in the Premier League on September 28.

($1 = 0.7702 pounds)