Chelsea sense anti-English bias from FIFA over their shock transfer ban handed down yesterday. The club have been found guilty by Fifa of inducing Gaël Kakuta, an 18-year-old winger, to break his contract with Lens two years ago. They will be unable to buy any players during the next two transfer windows.
The Times says in appealing, Chelsea will argue that the punishment is disproportionate to the relatively modest fine imposed and the nature of the offence, while senior figures at the club - who have maintained their innocence - believe that they are victims of an anti-English conspiracy at the heart of Fifa and Uefa.
Yesterday's punishments came two days after Eduardo da Silva, the Arsenal striker, was given a two-match ban for diving by Uefa, leading Arsène Wenger, the manager, to voice similar concerns about Barclays Premier League clubs being victimised.
