Chelsea supporters could be forgiven for hoping they could get through one day where they could focus on football and Champions League progression. It was no sooner than Chelsea's press conferences with Thomas Tuchel and Kai Havertz finished that the Blues dropped a bombshell.
The club announced they were reluctantly 'asking the FA board to direct the game be played behind closed doors for matters of sporting integrity'. On a day where many were still backing the club following Jamie Carragher's comments and criticisms on Monday Night Football, Chelsea displayed a funny way of saying thank you.
Nearly 600 supporters hold tickets for the trip to the Riverside and will still be allowed to go under the current licence Chelsea are operating under.
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The frustration that more are unable to, after discussions with Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation were not fruitful in time for Middlesbrough's deadline, is understandable. But what did the Blues really hope to achieve with their statement?
It could be seen as a weak attempt at strong-arming the government but when Chelsea supporters are those with most at risk, is that really wise? If they were to be successful in their attempt to play the game behind closed doors, they would potentially be consigning themselves to an empty Stamford Bridge until the end of the season.
The Supporters Trust put it well in their response: "We strongly urge the government to amend the license and allow supporters to obtain tickets. Playing behind closed doors does not benefit supporters."
Chelsea are a club that have been blessed with the ability to operate from a position of strength. Off the pitch currently, that is no longer the reality. One source told football.london the club may find much of the goodwill it has received in the past five days diminished following their request.
With many discussions forthcoming with the government over the club being sold and continued petitions to add more fans, it seems an unnecessary risk to have taken.
The FA and Premier League have noted their own concerns over sporting integrity but it's no surprise that much of the footballing world would back up Middlesbrough's assertion that the request was 'bizarre and without any merit' and 'ironic in the extreme'.
Chelsea went from thanking Boro, to attempting to cost their fans the chance to see a highly-anticipated FA Cup clash, and the Championship club money. It was a quick way to make new enemies when friends and support are needed.
Equally misguided is the insistence that the government licence even deems free tickets as a transaction and are thus banned. It would have provided a speedier solution for a trip to Middlesbrough but as Mail Sport reported, it has also impacted a memorial event to honour Peter Bonetti on Friday. Once again, those who already have tickets will be allowed to attend.
Tuchel has been almost a lone figure in dealing with the abundance of questions about Abramovich, the future of the club and any connection to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He has shown more humanity and consideration for Chelsea's supporters than the Blues' statement did earlier today.
He has condemned action he did not agree with, defended fans in the face of government criticism and handled himself with real empathy. He has fronted up and been let down both by a lack of communication and poor communication.
"To the outside, it's more or less me that talks," said the German coach, "Was it always comfortable? No, but I think it's necessary. I don't think too much about it. I try to be honest, give you insight, provide you with information, but more or less from a sporting side and coach's heart. This is what I try and what you can rely on. I am more than happy if things calm down and we can speak about football more than ever."
Of course, Chelsea withdrew their request later on Tuesday afternoon, with news soon following that Roman Abramovich has now been sanctioned by the European Union.
Chelsea don't deserve credit for such an unfathomable course of action regarding the Boro game, however, particularly one that provoked a faster U-turn than the European Super League.
It appears the Blues' clash against Lille on Wednesday will be unaffected by the EU's decision, but the ramifications are sure to unfurl in the days to come. As Petr Cech and Tuchel have emphasised, Chelsea can only operate day-to-day at the moment.
For much of the last two decades Chelsea have been public enemy number one in the Premier League, warranted or not. In a footballing sense, it was difficult to argue otherwise on Tuesday afternoon.
