The exrojiblanco Joao Felixuntil this Wednesday an Atlético de Madrid player, has made his debut this Thursday in the Premier League with chelsea, a group that has paid 11 million euros to the mattress club for the loan of the Portuguese until the end of the season. But the debut of the Portuguese international has not been what he expected for the Stamford Bridge team because he has been sent off in the second half of the derby against Fulham, in which his team ended up defeated (2-1).
Even though he had barely completed a training session with his new team, Graham Potter has made Joao Félix debut in the Fulham field, a game in which the exrojiblanco has left good flashes in the first half.
Joao Felixwho was being the best player in the game, was sent off for a red card in the second half after a Tacos-first entrance to Kenny Tete.
Joao Félix, EXPELLED in his debut with Chelsea ????????
The Portuguese lost the ball, ended up leaving the squad when trying to get it back… and his first game as ‘Blue’ ended prematurely#PremierLeagueDAZN ⚽???????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/H9JTk1uG58
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) January 12, 2023
In the 12th minute of the second half of the derby, Joao Félix did not control the ball well in the midfield and, in his attempt to recover it, mistimed his tackle, arrived late and ended up giving Kenny Tete a great template.
An expulsion that has marred the good first part of the Portuguese attacker and that has influenced the development of the match, which at the time of the expulsion of Joao Félix (min. 58) was even on the scoreboard (1-1). With one less, Chelsea have conceded a second goal to end up losing the postponed match against Fulham, corresponding to day 7 of the Premier League,
His first straight red
This Thursday is the Joao Félix’s first direct expulsion in his carrer. He had previously seen a red one, in September 2021, but it was for a second yellow, playing with Atlético against Athletic. Until then, Joao Félix had provided dynamism and technical details, getting opportunities (10, 17, 40), although without success.
Fulham had taken the lead at minute 25 through a former Chelsea player, the Brazilian Willian, who got rid of the harassment of César Azpilicueta to send a shot that hit the post before slipping into the goal defended by Kepa Arrizabalaga .
Chelsea equalized in minute 48, when Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly took advantage of a rebound after a free kick by Mason Mount had ended up on the post.
Already with numerical superiority after Joao Félix’s red card, Fulham arrived more fluently and the Brazilian Carlos Vinicius signed the goal of the local 2-1 win.
In the standings, Fulham rises to sixth place, in the European zone, and manages to take three points ahead of seventh, Liverpool. By contrast, Chelsea is barely tenth, ten points behind the Champions League zone, which marks Manchester United (fourth).
Chelsea have not won in the Premier League since they beat Bournemouth 2-0 on December 27 and this defeat is the third consecutive defeat for Graham Potter’s team, after the two they recorded in recent days against Manchester City, a in the league (1-0) and another in the round of 32 of the English Cup.
