The club reportedly sent an email reminding employees that their choices in Fantasy Premier League and other public gaming competitions could inadvertently disclose information about player availability.
The issue emerged ahead of Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham last month, when Pedro was a surprise omission from the matchday squad. The Brazilian had suffered a quad injury, but the club had not publicly announced the problem before the game.
Several Fantasy Premier League observers subsequently claimed to have noticed that people connected with Chelsea had removed Pedro from their teams ahead of the deadline. Those selections included accounts believed to belong to club staff and team-mate Morgan Rogers.
The timing attracted attention because Pedro’s absence had not yet been explained publicly. The changes prompted speculation that people with access to inside information had inadvertently indicated that the forward would not be available.
According to BBC Sport, Chelsea’s email was intended to raise awareness of the potential consequences of using confidential team information when selecting players in fantasy competitions. The club is not understood to be planning wider restrictions, with the incident being treated as an isolated case.
Head coach Xabi Alonso had previously been asked about the apparent leak following the defeat to Tottenham. The Spaniard indicated that he was unaware of the situation.
“I am not into the fantasy team thing, so I didn’t know that,” he said.
Pedro’s injury has been a setback for Chelsea after an encouraging start to the campaign. The forward had become an important part of Alonso’s attacking plans, and his absence has left the manager without one of his key options.
The situation has also highlighted the difficulties clubs face in keeping team news confidential when so many people connected with football take part in public fantasy competitions.
Chelsea are not the first Premier League club to encounter the problem. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reportedly introduced rules governing how his players use Fantasy Premier League after an apparent selection clue emerged before the Gunners’ meeting with Liverpool at Anfield.
Christos Tzolis was said to have included himself in his own fantasy team ahead of the fixture, correctly suggesting that he would start. The reports surrounding that incident have not been confirmed.
There is also a previous example involving Aston Villa and Jack Grealish. In 2021, rumours circulated that the midfielder had suffered an injury after several Villa players and staff members, including a club physiotherapist, removed him from their fantasy teams.
Grealish subsequently missed the match against Leicester City, who won 2-1. Former Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers later acknowledged that he had made tactical adjustments after hearing the reports about the midfielder’s fitness.
The episode demonstrated how apparently minor changes to fantasy selections can provide opponents with clues about potential team news.
With more than 11 million accounts active in Fantasy Premier League, the competition has become a significant part of the football landscape. There is no general Premier League rule preventing players or club employees from taking part, leaving individual clubs to manage the risks.