Saturday's Premier League round was overshadowed by scandalous racist attacks targeting Chelsea's Wesley Fofana and Burnley's Hannibal Mejbri. Both clubs strongly condemned the online hate that emerged after the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. On the pitch, Aston Villa also dropped points after drawing with Leeds United, as did relegation-battling West Ham in their clash with Bournemouth.

Racism on social media

Fofana and Mejbri were targeted with abuse after the match at Stamford Bridge; both clubs condemned the perpetrators.

Discipline a problem for Chelsea

The eighth red card for a Chelsea player this season directly translated into dropped points against Burnley.

Tammy Abraham's return

The striker salvaged a point for Aston Villa against Leeds, scoring his debut goal upon returning to the club.

West Ham's inefficiency

The Hammers dominated Bournemouth but, due to a lack of finishing, remained in the relegation zone of the table.

Saturday's action in the English top flight ended in an atmosphere of off-pitch scandal. Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri became targets of racist attacks on social media. Both players published evidence of the slurs they received, calling for education and a fight against hatred. The clubs issued statements expressing disgust at the behavior of anonymous users and announced cooperation with digital platforms to identify the perpetrators. In sporting terms, Chelsea once again disappointed their fans. Despite an early lead secured by João Pedro, the Londoners failed to hold on for victory. A key moment was the red card for Fofana in the 72nd minute. Burnley capitalized on their numerical advantage in stoppage time when Zian Flemming headed in from a James Ward-Prowse corner to level the score at 1-1. Statistics indicate Chelsea has become the league leader in terms of points dropped at home this season. After this match, the head-to-head record between the two teams in the Premier League era stands at 20 matches. Chelsea have lost only once, yet 8 of the 9 points Burnley have ever earned in these encounters have come at Stamford Bridge. The match at Villa Park also had an unexpected outcome. Aston Villa, who are still in contention for top positions, salvaged a 1-1 draw with Leeds United only in the 88th minute. The goal for the hosts was scored by Tammy Abraham, guiding the ball into the net with his knee. Earlier, the visitors took the lead through Anton Stach with a phenomenal free-kick strike. Meanwhile, in London, West Ham United played out a goalless draw with Bournemouth, squandering a chance to escape the relegation zone despite firing 19 shots at the opponent's goal. 8 — red cards seen by Chelsea players this season Premier League Round 27 Results (21.02.2026): Chelsea 1:1 Burnley; Aston Villa 1:1 Leeds United; West Ham 0:0 Bournemouth „It's 2026 and there still ppl like that ... Educate yourself and your kids pls.” — Hannibal Mejbri

Mentioned People

  • Wesley Fofana — Chelsea defender who received a red card and was subjected to a racist attack.
  • Hannibal Mejbri — Burnley midfielder, Tunisia international, victim of racist hate on social media.
  • Liam Rosenior — Chelsea manager, criticizing his team's performance after the draw with Burnley.