.png)
Chelsea fans were shocked when they found out how many games Reece James will miss after being sent off.
After a largely disappointing season, Chelsea are finishing on a high and are on the verge of sneaking into Europe next season.
A 2-1 win against Brighton on Wednesday night moved Mauricio Pochettino's side up to sixth in the Premier League table, which, as things stand, would secure them a place in the Europa Conference League.
Advert
However, club captain Reece James put a dampener on things when he was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Brighton attacker Joao Pedro in the final moments of the match.
James came off the bench in the 69th minute for only his second appearance since December following hamstring surgery.
He was soon given his marching orders, but he now faces a four-match ban that will stretch into next season.
Advert
The England international will serve the standard three-match suspension issued for violent conduct, plus an extra match as this is the second time he has been sent off this season.
James was shown two yellow cards in Chelsea's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in November, the first for kicking the ball away and the second for hauling down Anthony Gordon.
James will therefore miss Chelsea's final game of the season against Bournemouth, plus the opening three matches of next season.
Advert
Chelsea need to avoid defeat on Sunday to guarantee sixth place, but could move up to fifth and claim a place in the Europa League if they beat Bournemouth and Tottenham lose to Sheffield United.
James cannot play again before Gareth Southgate names his preliminary England squad ahead of Euro 2024.
On James' sending off, Chelsea boss Pochettino said: "Maybe it’s the frustration of him.
"But, yes, painful. Painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he’s our captain and a really important player. I’m disappointed because now he’s going to miss the next game and maybe a few games in next season."
Advert
Chelsea fans were less than impressed by their captain's conduct.
"He has more red cards than important contribution to the team this season," complained one fan on X, while another lamented: "Is this man really a player? He plays more off the pitch than on."
A third disgruntled supporter wrote: "Reece is a good player but he’s the worst captain ever ever had."
Topics: Reece James, Premier League, Football, Chelsea, Brighton And Hove Albion, Fan Reactions
Alex Brotherton