Chelsea publically humiliate Raheem Sterling as Enzo Maresca goes too far

COLUMN: Chelsea have gone too far with Raheem Sterling

Chelsea FC v Manchester City - Pre-Season Friendly

Raheem Sterling has been cast aside at Chelsea (Image: Getty)

Put more respect on Raheem Sterling’s name.This man is a four-time Premier League winner and still only 29 years old. He is not a washed-up flop hanging around for a final payday.

Sterling deserves better treatment than how Enzo Maresca has handed his expulsion from the squad.

Was there any need to give Sterling's No.7 shirt to Pedro Neto so soon?

Chelsea are publically humiliating the forward and you have to feel for him.

Sterling is going to leave Stamford Bridge for the good of his career, he has no choice now. But the Blues could have waited another week for an exit to be confirmed before switching Neto from shirt No.19 to No.7.

Sterling's performances have not been the best but he's been playing in a dysfunctional Chelsea side.

None of the wide options, besides Cole Palmer, have shown any consistency.

There is so little experience in the Blues team - their oldest player on the pitch against Manchester City was 26 years old.

You can't say Sterling's knowledge of how to win a title won't be useful to the younger members of the squad.

He returned from his summer holiday early to start pre-season before anybody else and featured in all six friendly matches.

When Maresca needed Sterling, he was there. And now he has been disgustingly disregarded without an ounce of gratitude.

Chelsea v FC Internazionale - Pre-Season Friendly

Raheem Sterling played a part in all of Chelsea's six pre-season matches (Image: Getty)

One rule for one, another for Sinner

IT’s one rule for one and another rule for Jannik Sinner at the top of tennis.

The ATP have a lot to answer for after the world No.1 escaped a drugs ban for not once, but twice testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

Whether he intended to use the ‘performance-enhancing drug’ or not is a question only he knows the answer to, even though he has pleaded his innocence.

Wimbledon champion Simona Halep had her reputation ruined when she was suspended for nine months after testing positive for a banned substance. She also argued a defence of contamination.

So why has Sinner been protected until he was able to ‘clear’ his name?

Sinner has still been punished by losing his ranking points and prize money from Indian Wells, the tournament in which he tested positive.

He should have been suspended until the investigation was concluded.

Instead, he was allowed to compete all summer while the investigation went on behind closed doors.

No other player has been afforded such luxury.

The ATP have tried to pass the buck onto the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) but they run the tournaments and should fight for fairness among all players, regardless of world ranking.

Cricket TV blackout

WE'RE heading for a TV blackout when England's Test tour of Pakistan begins in October.

No British broadcasters have bid for the rights and Sky Sports have no plans to do so.

England produced an incredible finale the last time they toured Pakistan two years ago, winning late on the final day.

But fans may cruelly be denied access to watch any of the excitement this time around.

Sven tears

GET the tissues ready if you're planning to watch the Sven-Goran Eriksson documentary, which is released on Amazon Prime today.

Be prepared for emotional final scenes where the ex-England manager addresses his death being around the corner.

“I had a good life,” he says. He did indeed.

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