Chelsea ground out a goalless Premier League draw with 10-man Brighton as the club’s decision to quit the European Super League hung heavy over Stamford Bridge.
Brighton had Ben White sent off for a second booking at the death, having already wasted the game’s best chances through Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea leapfrogged West Ham on goal difference back into the Premier League top four – with Champions League qualification regaining full significance now the universally-condemned ESL appears doomed.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel had predicted calm in the eye of the storm for the Brighton clash, with the Super League dominating all talk and conjecture in the build-up.
Less than 90 minutes before Tuesday night’s kick-off news filtered out that Chelsea were preparing documents to leave the Super League that had only been announced late on Sunday.
Top players would jeopardise international football by playing for clubs in the Super League, and so Chelsea’s squad can easily be forgiven for a rare lack of focus.
A hard-won point still keeps the Blues in the top-four fight however, with all eyes now turning to Saturday’s crucial trip to fifth-placed rivals West Ham.
A breathless day of brinkmanship, recrimination and eventually relief gave way to an evening of stalemate.
Furious Chelsea fans had stormed Fulham Road at tea time, unfurling expletive-laden banners criticising the Blues’ decision to join the ESL.
Police riot vans raced around west London and helicopters circled overhead, while the fans chanted unchecked bile and let off blue smoke bombs.
Two police cordons braced for any clashes, but by the time the officers would have been called into any action news had filtered through of Chelsea’s impending withdrawal.
Technical director Petr Cech pleaded with fans to stay calm on his arrival at Stamford Bridge, and is thought to have told them to give the club time to handle the situation.