Here is your Chelsea morning digest on Monday, March 14.
One more year for Azplicueta?
According to Spanish paper Marca, Cesar Azpilicueta's proposed move to Barcelona this summer has become more complicated as the Chelsea captain won't be a free agent.
This is due to there being a reported clause in the defender's contract that an automatic one-year extension comes into play once he has made more than 30 appearances for this season.
Azpilicueta has so far turned out 33 times for the Blues across all competitions, meaning that if such a clause does exist then Chelsea fans might get to see their skipper stay for one more year.
The 32-year-old has won every trophy available to him during his ten-year stay at Stamford Bridge and is a firm fan-favourite.
Petr Cech's emotional plea
Legendary Blues goalkeeper turned technical advisor Petr Cech spoke passionately about the club's current situation yesterday prior to the Premier League match against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
The 39-year-old admitted the club were currently operating 'day by day' before sending an appeal to potential suitors to look at Chelsea's 170-year history over just the last 19 years of Roman Abramovich's ownership as a reason to buy the club.
Cech also spoke about the situation regarding player contracts, with the club unable to negotiate new deals for players due to the sanctions imposed on Abramovich, and Thomas Tuchel's future.
Alan Shearer bashes Trevoh Chalobah and David Coote after Chelsea vs Newcastle
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer blasted the match officials for failing to award the Magpies a penalty at Chelsea. Eddie Howe's side lost 1-0 to a late Kai Havertz goal, but felt they should have had a second-half spot-kick when Trevoh Chalobah brought down Jacob Murphy, our sister title The Chronicle Live reports.
But match referee David Coote waved away appeals, and VAR didn't feel the decision was one that merited review. It came after Havertz escaped a first-half red card for a challenge on Dan Burn which floored the United defender. He was left with a cut on his forehead from the German's elbow, but the on-field yellow card was not increased.
Havertz, of course, went on to be the matchwinner, heading home Jorginho's pinpoint cross in the dying stages as Newcastle's long unbeaten run came to an end. And while Shearer acknowledged the finish from the Chelsea forward, he didn't hold back on the penalty decision. "Class finish from Havertz," he tweeted. "Very harsh on the Toon. Didn’t deserve to come away with nothing. Pathetic pen decision not given."
