Why Pedro Neto Is Not Playing for Chelsea vs. Newcastle

Chelsea will be without Pedro Neto for Saturday’s pivotal Premier League clash against Newcastle United after the Football Association extended the winger’s suspension to two matches and hit him with a £70,000 fine for misconduct following his red card at Arsenal earlier this month.

Neto was initially dismissed for two bookable offences in the 2–1 defeat at the Emirates and sat out the subsequent 4–1 win over Aston Villa. However, after reviewing the Portugal international’s behaviour after the sending-off—namely his refusal to leave the pitch promptly and alleged abusive language toward officials—the FA imposed an additional one-game ban that rules him out of the Stamford Bridge encounter.

The 26-year-old accepted the charge, leaving interim boss Liam Rosenior short of attacking options at a crucial stage of the season. Chelsea enter the weekend knowing victory over Eddie Howe’s side could lift them into third place before Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool play on Sunday, keeping alive their push for Champions League qualification via a top-five finish.

Neto’s disciplinary woes may not end there. UEFA have opened an investigation into an incident during Wednesday’s 5–2 Champions League loss at Paris Saint-Germain in which he pushed a ball boy at the Parc des Princes, raising the prospect of a separate European suspension.

With Estêvão still sidelined as Chelsea manage his recovery cautiously, Rosenior at least welcomes Jamie Gittens back from injury, though Neto’s absence deprives the Blues of a player who had epitomised their season-long struggle with discipline—nine reds in all competitions, seven in the league—an issue neither Enzo Maresca nor Rosenior have managed to curb.