Ex-Sheffield United man Ethan Ampadu returns to Chelsea as rule change leads to third relegation
Spare a thought for Ethan Ampadu, who is learning football the hard way. The 22-year-old has just suffered his third successive relegation, with his latest one not helped by a rule change at the start of the season.
The Welsh international joined Spezia in Serie A in the summer, but their 3-1 defeat in a relegation play-off match means it was more heartbreak for the young Chelsea midfielder. However, he would have broken the cycle had it not been for a change in the rules at the start of the season.
Serie A re-introduced a one-off play-off rule ahead of the 2022-23 campaign involving the title and relegation. Having previously used head-to-head records on occasions when two teams finish level on points, they will now settle the outcome in a winner-takes-all one-off match.
Ampadu’s Spezia (17th) had actually finished above Verona (18th) in the table and having taken four points from their relegation rivals throughout the season, would have avoided the drop through virtue of the head-to-head rule.
However, the new rule means the pair had to face off in a play-off and Spezia lost 3-1, meaning it’s Serie B football for them. Ampadu was heavily involved in the action.
He put through his own net on five minutes as he was unable to keep out Marco Faraoni’s low drive but then scored the equaliser after his effort from the edge of the area 10 minutes later went in off the crossbar via a slight deflection.
Verona hit back, with two goals in the space of 12 minutes to lead 3-1 at the break and Spezia could not recover. For Ampadu it’s the third season in a row he has been relegated.
He finished bottom of Serie A last season with Venezia having done the same with Sheffield United during the 2020-21 season. He will now return to Chelsea unsure of what next but another move will be on the cards.
He has made just one substitute league appearance since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2017 and spent every season from 2019 out on loan.
