Strasbourg on the brink of a split: fans protested against the transfer of the captain to Chelsea.

According to The Sun: The news about the signing of Emanuel Emega from Strasbourg to Chelsea caused a wave of tension in the French club. The 22-year-old Dutchman posed in a Chelsea jersey at the Cobham training ground, as the club has secured a deal for his transfer in 2026.

While Chelsea actively strengthens its squad, adding players like Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, Strasbourg is losing its top scorer and captain, one of the most promising players.

Despite the team achieving their third win in four Ligue 1 matches, the discussions surrounding the transfer were more about events off the field. The club's ultras protested by holding banners demanding Emega's resignation from the captaincy, as well as expressing negativity towards club president Marc Keller and BlueCo.

“Emega, pawn of BlueCo, after switching shirts, return your armband,”

Emega did not participate in the match against Le Havre, however, during his presentation as Player of the Month for August, he was booed.

After the match, coach Liam Rosenior decided to approach his players in the newly constructed south stand, instead of the west stand where the ultras usually sit, and expressed his outrage over the fans' behavior at the press conference.

“Emanuel Emega was shocked, and so was I. I am very disappointed by what I saw.”

“Seeing banners against one of the best players of last season is unacceptable.”

Rosenior emphasized that his team deserves more respect and is ready to fight for the club, as this year is critical – the team is participating in the Conference League.

“This year is critical as we are playing in Europe in the Conference League, but it seems like a minority is unhappy with these performances.”

Against the backdrop of fan anger, Emega shared his thoughts on social media, posting a photo with a smile in a shirt featuring the “Emegoat” emblem, captioning:

“Whether you like it or not.”

While some fans opposed the behavior of the ultras, others urged to support the team and stop the aggression.

“It has been eight years since I started attending matches, this year I decided not to sit in the west stand. Ultras, how do we explain your behavior?”

The relationship between Strasbourg fans and their new owners BlueCo, who also manage Chelsea, has further escalated following the unsuccessful exchange of Ishe Samuels-Smith, which caused discontent among supporters.

“Samuels-Smith, bought for tens of times more than his value, left the club after 34 days.”

The situation surrounding the exchange of Ishe Samuels-Smith and the acquisition of Ben Chilwell from Chelsea has led to additional tension among fans, who are demanding more explanations from the management.