Todd Boehly tells Chelsea squad season is ‘embarrassing’ in post-game speech

Todd Boehly attempted to rouse Chelsea’s players before Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid by delivering a speech in the dressing room after the defeat by Brighton on Saturday, during which the American described the club’s season as “embarrassing”.

The co-owner was joined by his fellow board members, Behdad Eghbali and Hansjörg Wyss, when he addressed the squad after Chelsea fell to their third consecutive defeat. Boehly, who had been barracked by supporters during the Brighton game, waited for Lampard to finish talking to the players before stepping up to makeclear that the hierarchy expected far better after spending close to £600m on signings since buying the club last summer.

About an hour passed before Boehly, Eghbali and Wyss were seen exiting the dressing room and although it is not unusual for owners to speak to players, one insider said that “the whole thing was weird”.

It is understood that one senior player, signed for a large fee in the past 12 months, was singled out for heavy criticism. That player, whose identity is not being disclosed, is believed to be disillusioned with the situation and cut a disgruntled figure in training before Chelsea attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg against Madrid.

Although Boehly made clear his displeasure with the team’s form, Boehly’s broader intention was to motivate the players before the biggest game of the season. He said the Madrid match represented a chance for Chelsea, who are 11th in the Premier League and at risk of not qualifying for Europe, to salvage the campaign.

Chelsea have toiled since Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club from Roman Abramovich last year. They have spent big on transfers but have seen little for their