Chelsea shared an Alan Partridge meme just moments before they were hit with sanctions

The internet has been reacting to the news that Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government.

Social media has been flooded with hot takes, but it turns out one of the most misguided memes of the day came from the official Chelsea account.

With Chelsea set to play Norwich at Carrow Road this evening, the club’s social media team posted an image of manager Thomas Tuchel reimagined as Steve Coogan’s famous comedy character Alan Partridge.

On any other day, it would have been fine.

But the image was uploaded just before the news landed and the club was thrown into total uncertainty, which makes the timing less than ideal.

A social media user commented: “Of course this had to be the pre-apocalyptic tweet.”

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“Back of the nyet!” one tweeted.

“I simply cannot believe they’ve done a Partridge joke on a day like this,” one more added.

It comes after Abramovich was sanctioned as part of the clampdown on Russian assets following the invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea has been frozen as an asset but given special permission to continue operating as a football club. No match tickets or club merchandise can be sold, though.

The UK government said that Mr Abramovich “has had a close relationship [with Putin] for decades” and had obtained “financial benefit or other material benefit” from the Russian president and government – something the Chelsea owner previously denied.

British culture secretary Nadine Dorries said earlier: “Today the government has announced further sanctions against persons linked to the Russian Government.

“This list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club."

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