No Abramovich incentive

CHELSEA have rejected suggestions that the club’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich offered Russia’s players £40,000 (€58,414)-a-man to beat England.

Abramovich was accused of funding the bonus plan through the National Football Academy along with the Russian Football Union. It was alleged that £15,000-per-man was being paid for by the Russian Football Union while the remaining sum would be guaranteed by the Abramovich-backed Academy.

But Chelsea insist the Russian owner has never offered his national side any financial incentive to beat England in their Euro 2008 qualifier.