“Rivalry and tension”- Chelsea star takes to social media to address off-the-field violence

Reece James posts on Twitter after Chelsea and West Ham United fans resort to violence

Reece James sent a message to supporters after violence broke out in the Chelsea vs West Ham United draw as the fans of both teams were involved in a fight outside London Stadium.

The video showed a Chelsa supporter egg on a Hammers fan only to get himself knocked out. While the competition on the field is fair play, we do not expect any fan to resort to such violence off it. The incident occurred prior to kick-off in a game that ended 1-1.

The England international took to social media and posted on his official Twitter account shortly after the event (h/t Football.London), saying:

The news has crossed my attention that a fan was punched & knocked out before todays game.

I totally understand rivalry between teams in big games but violence is no answer. I hope he’s okay.

Appreciate the traveling fans as always. Stick with us & stay safe. See u in Dortmund.

— Reece James (@ReeceJames) February 11, 2023

“I totally understand rivalry and the tension between teams in big games, but violence is not the answer. I hope he’s okay. We appreciate the travelling fans as always. Stick with us and stay safe. See you in Dortmund.”

The incident was handled by the Metropolitan Police and the fan had to be rushed to a hospital. They have now announced that they detained a 22-year-old man in connection with the confrontation.

However, it was again another disappointing game for The Blues, who suffered their third straight draw in the league. As things stand, their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League are steadily dwindling.

Aside from this, though, it was really upsetting that violence is still seen as the solution to a rivalry. If anything, it does not just inspire others to do the same but also throws mud onto the names of the clubs involved.

More Chelsea News:

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• Borussia Dortmund welcome back several stars ahead of UEFA Champions League clash vs Chelsea
• Inter Milan hoping to keep Romelu Lukaku after talks with Chelsea

Hopefully, our fans will not have more such misadventures and will ensure a competitive but healthy atmosphere is maintained against Borussia Dortmund midweek. The last thing we need are off-the-field incidents to further derail a season that is on the brink.