Strasbourg supporters have launched a fresh attack on Chelsea’s owners at the start of the new season.
The BlueCo Consortium, which bought Chelsea back in 2022, added the French side to their portfolio in June 2023 after Todd Boehly outlined his desire to develop a multi-club model.
When their purchase was confirmed, Chelsea refused to comment on the size of the stake but reports in France claimed the Blues’ owners had bought the entire club at a cost of around £65million, with a promise to invest in the first team and academy.
After a difficult first season when Strasbourg finished 13th in Ligue 1, they impressed in 2024-25 and qualified for the UEFA Conference League under the tutelage of former Hull City boss Liam Rosenior after coming seventh.
However, throughout their tenure, Strasbourg fans have regularly criticised Boehly and Co, particularly with regards to the way they believe the club is being used to the benefit of Chelsea, with several players moving between the two teams.
The likes of Djordje Petrovic, Andrey Santos and Caleb Wiley spent time on loan in France last season and Kendry Paez, Mike Penders and Mamadou Sarr – who joined Chelsea for £12m from Strasbourg this summer – have made temporary moves this time around.
Strasbourg fans have launched a fresh attack on Chelsea’s owners at the start of the season
Chelsea’s owners BlueCo bought the Ligue 1 side in 2023 as part of their multi-club model
And, ahead of their opening Ligue 1 fixture of 2025-26 against Metz on Sunday, supporters group The Ultra Boys 90 continued to express their anger with the ownership situation.
‘The transfer window carried out so far proves to the point of absurdity that Racing is no longer a club that makes decisions in its own interest,’ the statement read after Ishe Samuels-Smith and Mathis Amougou also completed permanent transfers from Chelsea to Strasbourg this summer.
‘On the contrary, we are witnessing a headlong rush where Chelsea is calling the shots to the detriment of our club’s independence.
‘The problem with timeshare ownership is profound; it’s a destructive logic that transforms historic clubs into interchangeable parts of a globalised portfolio, and this system is becoming widespread. Our legislators must quickly address this issue to put an end to the abuses it causes.
‘We have always defended a deeply rooted, grassroots football, driven by vibrant stands and a unique history. Today, they are trying to impose a model on us where clubs are run like fast-food franchises.
‘The current good results must not blind us or interfere in our fight, which goes far beyond the culture of the moment and short-term visions of what Racing offers on the pitch.’
The Ultra Boys 90 went on to insist enough is enough and reaffirmed their belief that authorities should bring a halt to multi-club ownership and the associated negative impacts.
‘What is happening within our club is too serious for us to pretend that everything is fine in the face of authentic football, which is dying,’ they added. ‘We will continue to denounce all the excesses of timeshare ownership and interference in our club.’
The Ultra Boys 90 fan group claimed BlueCo’s ownership of Strasbourg is ‘destructive’
Kendry Paez is one of three Chelsea players on loan at Strasbourg and two joined permanently
The latest comments come after similar viewpoints have been shared ever since BlueCo’s takeover of Strasbourg.
At the time, the same fan group said: ‘Between the multi-club ownership that we can never accept and the destructive sporting policy, it is now time to say things clearly: BlueCo is not welcome at the Meinau and never will be.’
Meanwhile, after a difficult start to the 2023-24 campaign, fan group The Federation Supporters RCS slammed the club’s transfer policy as ‘senseless’ after around £50m had been spent on mainly young, promising players.
They also labelled the owners as ‘money without competence’.
Despite the unhappy sentiment among fans, Rosenior’s side beat Metz 1-0 in their opener, with Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli, 22, who is a new signing, scoring the winning goal.
