Chelsea’s bid to cancel Reece James’s suspension for the start of the next season under Enzo Maresca has been unsuccessful after their reasoning for their captain’s kick-out on Brighton’s Joao Pedro was rejected by the Football Association.
In the FA’s documents of the appeal seen by Mail Sport, there is a summary of the evidence submitted by the club and player.
It includes the claim that James was ‘disoriented’ after being fouled from behind, that Pedro ‘made contact' as he ran past, and that: ‘It had not been his intention to harm Mr Pedro, he was simply pushing him away with his foot.