Marc Cucurella’s barber leaked Chelsea team news hours before Brighton kick-off | OneFootball

Chelsea were hit by an unusual off-field controversy ahead of their heavy defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion after team news was leaked online via Marc Cucurella’s barber.

An image posted on social media shortly before kick-off appeared to reveal that Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro would miss the match through injury.

The post, which was later deleted along with the account, included the caption claiming the information as an “exclusive”.

Neither player was named in the matchday squad, confirming the accuracy of the leak and raising fresh concerns within the club over internal information being shared externally.

The incident came ahead of a difficult night on the pitch, with Chelsea suffering a 3-0 defeat that extended their poor run of form.

The result marked their fifth consecutive league game without a win, during which they have also failed to score, representing their worst run in over a century.

Head coach Liam Rosenior was visibly frustrated after the match and did not hold back in his assessment of the performance.

“It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game,” Rosenior said, criticising both the attitude and execution of his players.

“Unacceptable in attitude… that performance tonight was indefensible,” he added, highlighting a lack of intensity and basic errors that contributed to the defeat.

Rosenior also acknowledged his own responsibility, stating that “the buck stops with me” while calling for immediate improvement from both staff and players.

He warned that anyone unable to cope with the pressure of representing Chelsea “should not be here”, underlining the growing tension around the club.

The defeat further intensified frustration among supporters, with travelling fans voicing their discontent throughout the match and displaying protest banners.

Rosenior was seen acknowledging supporters at full-time, appearing to apologise after another damaging result.

The leak adds to a pattern of similar incidents this season, with Chelsea having previously experienced team news emerging in the media ahead of key matches.

While Rosenior downplayed earlier leaks as part of modern football, the latest incident has raised renewed questions about internal discipline and information control.

On the pitch, Chelsea struggled to impose themselves despite periods of possession, continuing a trend that has seen their attacking output decline sharply in recent weeks.

Chelsea now face increasing pressure to arrest their slump, with both performances and off-field issues contributing to a challenging end to the season.