BlueCo ridiculed over Strasbourg ownership as Chelsea civil war rages on

Tom Weber

• Updated: 24 Sep 2025 06:13 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Chelsea and Strasbourg owners BlueCo have received a broadside from a fellow Ligue 1 club owner amid the ongoing controversy over Emanuel Emegha.

BlueCo's ownership of Strasbourg has faced fierce criticism from large sections of the club's fanbase since their takeover was announced in 2023. A proud French club, Racing are former Ligue 1 champions and three-time Coupe de France winners.

Naturally, fans worried that BlueCo would use Strasbourg as a farm team for their crown jewel Chelsea. This is exactly how things have panned out, although there is no denying that the Alsatians have benefited from this on the pitch.

Current ETV

Emanuel Emegha

F (C)

Strasbourg

Emanuel Emegha

F (C)

Strasbourg

€26.2M

ETV Range

€23.6M - €28.8M

View full profile

Strasbourg have gone from relegation battlers to European contenders thanks to hitherto unseen levels of investment, but this has done little to placate the outspoken fans who feel that this has come at the cost of the club's independence.

Tensions recently reached a fever pitch when Chelsea announced the signing of Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha, who had just been named the latter's captain.

BlueCo ownership ridiculed

At the first game after the announcement of his move, the Dutchman was branded a 'BlueCo pawn' and supporters demanded that he hand over the captaincy to a player loyal to the club.

Emegha was said to have been left 'devastated,' but that didn't stop him from seemingly antagonising his critics at the weekend after he scored in Strasbourg's thrilling 3-2 away win over fellow nouveau riche Paris FC.

The striker walked over to the away section, took off his shirt and held it up to display his name Lionel Messi-style. This drew a frosty reaction from large chunks of the travelling fans, with some outright refusing to celebrate.

The topic of multi-club ownership has been hotly debated in France in recent years, as it has had dire consequences for some teams like City Football Group-owned Troyes.

This summer, Ligue 1 side Le Havre were taken over by an American ownership group named BlueCrow, which has no relation to BlueCo and also owns Spanish outfit Leganes. New club chief Jeff Luhnow has been quick to dismiss any similarities to the Chelsea and Strasbourg owners.

Speaking to ParisNormandie Sport, Luhnow even appeared to take a shot at BlueCo by stating that 'Le Havre belongs to the fans' when quizzed about Strasbourg and whether he could also acquire a team of Chelsea's stature.

“We know that HAC belongs to the fans," he said. "Here, we won’t experience what is happening at Strasbourg. We aren’t buying a club that is superior to Le Havre and Leganes.”

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