Chelsea warn staff after Fantasy Premier League picks expose Joao Pedro injury

Chelsea have warned players and staff not to reveal confidential team news through Fantasy Premier League after changes to their in-game squads appeared to expose Joao Pedro’s injury.

The warning followed the club’s 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, when Joao Pedro was unexpectedly left out. His absence was later attributed to a front-thigh muscle injury, although Chelsea had not announced the problem before the match.

Several prominent Fantasy Premier League content creators claimed Morgan Rogers and a number of Chelsea staff had removed Joao Pedro from their teams before kick-off. The changes were interpreted as evidence that the striker was unavailable.

According to the BBC, Chelsea sent an email to employees reminding them of the possible consequences of using inside information while playing Fantasy Premier League or other public gaming platforms. Team selections can indicate which players are injured, unavailable or approaching a return.

The club is not expected to impose further restrictions on participation in Fantasy Premier League. Chelsea regard the incident as an isolated case that can be addressed by improving awareness among players and staff.

Alonso unaware of Fantasy revelations

Asked about the issue by BBC Sport after the defeat, Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso said he had not known about the changes.

“I am not interested in the Fantasy teams, so I didn’t know that,” he said.

Since joining Chelsea in the summer, the 44-year-old has generally been guarded when discussing injuries during news conferences.

The club has previously dealt with leaks involving team information. During Liam Rosenior’s four-month spell as manager last season, Chelsea’s line-ups were leaked before their two Champions League defeats by Paris Saint-Germain.

It later emerged that the barber of former Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella had disclosed on social media that Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer would miss a trip to Brighton last season, after discussing the matter with his client.

A wider issue across the Premier League

Other alleged examples have involved players at Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester and Newcastle making revealing changes to their Fantasy Premier League teams. BBC Sport also identified accounts believed by Fantasy Premier League followers to be linked to players and prominent figures at clubs across the division.

One of the clearest cases came in February 2021, when Jack Grealish’s absence from Aston Villa’s team for a match against Leicester City was apparently revealed before the game.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers later said he had been aware of rumours about Grealish’s injury before the match, which his side won.

More than 11 million people play Fantasy Premier League, according to the BBC, making it an increasingly prominent part of the wider football landscape.

Although strict rules prohibit gambling, the Premier League does not give clubs specific guidance on how, or whether, participants connected to them should use Fantasy Premier League. The matter is generally left for individual clubs to manage.

Fixture listings for 21 November 2026 show Chelsea against Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur against Ipswich Town in the Premier League.