Chelsea have warned staff to be careful about inadvertently revealing team news through Fantasy Premier League after Joao Pedro’s injury appeared to have been disclosed through team selections.
An email was sent to staff reminding them of the potential consequences of using inside information when playing Fantasy Premier League or other public gaming platforms, where team selection choices could reveal which players are unavailable or close to returning.
It followed leaks before the 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham, when Pedro was a surprise absentee because of what has since emerged to be a quad injury.
Several influential Fantasy Premier League content creators claimed to have seen evidence that forward Morgan Rogers, along with several members of Chelsea staff, had removed Pedro from their Fantasy Premier League teams before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, despite no club announcement having been made about his injury.
Asked about the matter by BBC Sport after the defeat, Xabi Alonso said he was unaware of the situation. He replied: “I am not into the fantasy team thing, so I didn’t know that.”
Since joining Chelsea in the summer, Alonso, 44, has generally been guarded when discussing injury issues in media conferences.
Chelsea have also previously experienced problems with leaks.
During former manager Liam Rosenior’s four-month spell in charge last season, team selections were leaked before both legs of the club’s Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain.
It also later emerged former defender Marc Cucurella’s barber had revealed on social media that Pedro and Cole Palmer would miss a trip to Brighton last season after discussing the matter with his client.
With regard to Fantasy Premier League, no further restrictions are expected because Chelsea regard the incident as an isolated case that can be managed through greater awareness among players and staff.
There have been many further examples, claiming to suggest players from clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester and Newcastle made revealing changes to their teams, while BBC Sport has identified accounts believed by Fantasy Premier League trackers to be linked to high-profile players and figures at clubs across the division.
The highest-profile example was arguably the revelation of then Aston Villa forward Jack Grealish’s omission from the squad before a match against Leicester City in February 2021.
Then Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers later said he had been aware of rumours surrounding Grealish’s injury absence before the match, which his side won.
More than 11 million people are said to play Fantasy Premier League, which has become an increasingly prominent part of the wider football ecosystem.
Although there are strict rules prohibiting gambling, the Premier League offers no specific guidance to clubs on how, or whether, those involved in the game should participate in Fantasy Premier League.
Instead, it is generally treated as a matter for individual clubs to manage themselves.