Chelsea have warned their players and staff against inadvertently revealing confidential team news through Fantasy Premier League (FPL) selections following concerns that information about striker João Pedro’s injury was disclosed before the club made an official announcement.
The warning comes after the Brazilian forward was unexpectedly left out of Chelsea’s squad for their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, with FPL enthusiasts reportedly noticing suspicious changes to fantasy teams linked to people associated with the club.
According to a report by BBC Sport, Chelsea sent an internal email to staff reminding them of the risks associated with using confidential information when participating in Fantasy Premier League and other publicly accessible gaming platforms.
The incident attracted attention after several prominent FPL content creators claimed that Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers and some Chelsea staff members had removed João Pedro from their fantasy teams ahead of the Tottenham encounter.
At the time, Chelsea had not officially announced that the Brazilian was injured, making the changes particularly noticeable to fantasy football enthusiasts monitoring player selections.
The forward was subsequently confirmed to have missed the fixture because of a quadriceps injury, raising questions about how information from inside the club could have become apparent through a fantasy football platform.
The development also highlighted how Fantasy Premier League has evolved beyond a recreational game into a platform where seemingly minor decisions can provide clues about developments within professional football clubs.
Players and staff participating in the game can unintentionally expose information about injuries, suspensions and possible team selections through transfers, captaincy changes or the removal of certain players from their squads.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was asked about the alleged disclosure following the defeat to Tottenham but indicated that he was unaware of the situation.
“I am not into the fantasy team thing, so I didn’t know that,” Alonso said.
The Spanish tactician has generally been cautious when discussing injuries and the availability of his players during media appearances, making the apparent disclosure particularly frustrating for the club.
This is not the first time Chelsea have struggled with confidential team information finding its way into the public domain.
During Liam Rosenior’s brief spell as manager last season, the club experienced leaks ahead of both legs of their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, which ended in an 8-2 aggregate loss.
Another incident involved former Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella, whose barber reportedly disclosed on social media that João Pedro and Cole Palmer would miss a match against Brighton after discussing the players’ availability with the defender.
The latest incident has therefore renewed concerns about the handling of sensitive information within the club, particularly as Chelsea prepare for important Premier League fixtures.
However, the club is not expected to introduce a blanket ban preventing players and employees from participating in Fantasy Premier League. Instead, the situation is being treated as an isolated incident, with greater awareness expected among those with access to confidential team information.
Chelsea are also not alone in facing the problem. Reports have highlighted similar incidents involving Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester City and Newcastle United, with fantasy team selections sometimes providing clues about players’ availability before official announcements.
One of the most notable historical examples involved former Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, whose expected absence from a Premier League meeting with Leicester City in February 2021 reportedly became apparent through Fantasy Premier League activity.
The growing popularity of the game has made the issue increasingly difficult for clubs to ignore. With more than 11 million people reportedly participating, FPL has become a major part of the football ecosystem, attracting supporters who closely monitor player selections and transfer activities.
Although the Premier League has rules prohibiting gambling-related misconduct, it does not provide specific league-wide instructions governing how players and club employees should participate in Fantasy Premier League. Individual clubs are largely responsible for managing such situations.
For Chelsea, the immediate priority will be ensuring that information about injuries and team selections remains confidential until the appropriate official announcements are made.
