Chelsea’s bid to cancel Reece James’s suspension for the start of the next season under Enzo Maresca has been unsuccessful after their reasoning for their captain’s kick-out on Brighton’s Joao Pedro was rejected by the Football Association.

In the FA’s documents of the appeal seen by Mail Sport, there is a summary of the evidence submitted by the club and player. 

It includes the claim that James was ‘disoriented’ after being fouled from behind, that Pedro ‘made contact' as he ran past, and that: ‘It had not been his intention to harm Mr Pedro, he was simply pushing him away with his foot.’

The FA’s independent regulatory commission unanimously refused to buy this justification, upholding the four-game ban handed to James due to this being his second red card of the season. 

It means the 24-year-old will miss Chelsea’s first three matches of the 2024-25 campaign, having already been absent from their final fixture against Bournemouth.

Reece James was shown a red card on the penultimate day of the Premier League season

In their written reasons for their decision, the FA document states: ‘The account of Mr James was not persuasive. It is evident from the video evidence that Mr James does kick out at the opposing player, catching him below the left knee. It was not accepted that he was in some way disoriented. The player was running away from him. This was not merely a coming together.

‘Moreover, it was not accepted that he simply used his leg to push the opposing player away. It is clear from the video evidence that he kicked out at the opposing player with a straight left leg. It was unnecessary and amounted to an act of violent conduct. The appeal was dismissed.’

This was James’s second red of the season, having previously been dismissed at Newcastle when he received two unnecessary yellows. 

Documents also reveal how Chelsea submitted a further claim to the FA that the standard punishment ‘would be clearly excessive as the circumstances of the incident were truly exceptional’, but this was likewise turned down.

Chelsea were plagued by ill-discipline in the 2023-24 season, picking up more cautions than any club in Premier League history. That naivety is one area which Maresca is likely to need to tackle in order to avoid needless suspensions over the next campaign.

Chelsea were contacted by Mail Sport.