CHELSEA will be pleased to have picked up three points after edging past Newcastle United at the weekend.

But their attentions now turn to the Champions League as they prepare to face Ajax – with Frank Lampard stressing the Blues are big underdogs for the game.

Follow all of the latest updates and transfer gossip from West London…

• THREE Chelsea fans are facing lifetime bans for racially abusing a fellow supporter – with the club apologising for not acting sooner.

  Jerome Bailey, 20, was sickeningly abused by fellow Blues supporters during a clash with Slavia Prague in April.

  Speaking to BBC Sport, Bailey revealed: “It's the result I wanted all along but it's unfortunate and disappointing that it's taken so long to get to this point.

  “Maybe Chelsea need to look at how efficient their procedures are in this area.

  “It's good that zero tolerance is not an empty promise in this case. I just wanted to know that the team I follow cared a little.

  “I didn't feel like I should have been the one to approach the club – they should have been telling me what was happening.

  “Chelsea had everything at their disposal [for the investigation]. It should have been simple to approach these guys and then move forward. I just wanted to get some closure and now it feels like I have.”

• ELSEID HYSAJ'S agent has claimed that Chelsea made an offer for the Napoli right-back last year.

  Speaking to Tutto Napoli, Mario Giuffredi said: “It’s in the interest of everyone that the player moves in January as his contract expires and Napoli, who a year ago refused €50m (£43m) from Chelsea, would risk losing him for nothing.”

  Before adding: “In the summer, he could have gone to Chelsea. Sarri would have liked him.

  “He has a €50m clause, maybe Napoli would have even accepted €40-€45m.

  “The negotiation has never taken off because De Laurentiis, to free Sarri, has imposed a clause that forbids Chelsea to take other players apart from Jorginho.”

• FRANK LAMPARD reckons Chelsea have got a “long way to go” before they can be compared to Ajax.

  The Blues boss said: “We've got a long way to go to claim the similarities but I think pride in the short term, yes.

  “Because we shouldn't get carried away with ourselves.

  “It's great we have a good feeling at the club, in terms of the young players that have come through.”

• FRANK LAMPARD appeared in high spirits at tonight's presser.

  

Source: Read Full Article