Chelsea hit with FA charge for plastic bottle incident in Aston Villa loss

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Evening Standard

·9 January 2026

Chelsea hit with FA charge for plastic bottle incident in Aston Villa loss

Blues have until Monday to respond to the charge

Chelsea have been charged by the FA after a plastic bottle was thrown at the Aston Villa bench during their Premier League meeting last month.

Late in the game, a bottle was thrown at Stamford Bridge towards the away dugout, where Villa coaching staff and players were sat. Some liquid that appeared to be water escaped the bottle, thus splashing staff and players.

It had been clear for some time that Chelsea players and staff felt the visitors were time-wasting, and the Villa set-piece coach Austin McPhee could be seen deliberately throwing a second ball onto the pitch to stop Chelsea playing a quick throw-in to restart play.

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Chelsea said after the match that they would launch an investigation into the matter and where the object had been thrown from.

Chelsea gave up a one-goal lead to lose the match 2-1 to Villa, with Ollie Watkins scoring twice.

It proved to be the penultimate match as Chelsea head coach for Enzo Maresca, who left the club after the subsequent 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

On Friday afternoon, it was revealed that Chelsea have been charged for the plastic bottle that was launched at the Villa dugout.

A statement from the FA read: “It’s alleged that the club failed to ensure its players and/or other relevant personnel positioned around the technical area after the final whistle did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way.

“Chelsea FC has until Monday 12 January 2026 to provide a response.”