Chelsea seeks no fans for game over sanctions banning sales

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea is asking for its FA Cup game against Middlesbrough to be played without a crowd because the government won’t allow it to sell any tickets under the terms of its license to operate after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned. Chelsea said it had been in “extensive discussions” with the office of financial sanctions implementations ahead of Saturday’s away game. The FA will discuss Chelsea’s request at a meeting Wednesday. Abramovich’s assets were frozen after he was sanctioned by the British government last week over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin following the start of the war on Ukraine.