The Ricketts family have pledged to never involve Chelsea in a European Super League, in a statement released by the prospective buyers of the West London club.
Chelsea were one of six Premier League sides to sign up to the ill-fated launch of the Super League in April 2021, with Stamford Bridge the scene of fierce fan protests after the club's involvement was announced.
The Ricketts family, who own Major League Baseball outfit the Chicago Cubs, are looking to buy the club after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government last month.
Furthermore, the family pledged to put diversity and inclusion "at the heart" of their prospective regime after their bid was subject to protests from Chelsea fans.
A statement containing a list of eight "specific commitments" has been released by the family in an attempt to persuade supporters of their ability to protect Chelsea's heritage and build for future success.
"Over the past fortnight, the Ricketts Family has met with several Chelsea supporter groups and carefully listened to all their feedback," the statement began.
"As we enter the next phase of the process, we are sharing a list of specific commitments that give fans a pivotal role in protecting Chelsea's heritage and building for future success.
"We will continue to discuss our ambitions for the club with fans and the wider football community in the coming days."
The first of the eight commitments made by the family pledged never to make changes to the club's name, badge, or colours without the consent of supporters, while point two addressed future participation in a revived Super League.
The prospective buyers promised to "never participate in a European Super League and always protect the integrity and heritage of Chelsea Football Club."
Chelsea Technical Director Petr Cech was forced to confront angry protesters outside the club's stadium last April, with hundreds of fans gathering to demand the Blues' withdrawal from the short-lived project.
Meanwhile, point four on the list of commitments addressed concerns around diversity and inclusivity, with a "NoToRicketts" campaign gaining traction on social media after accusations of Islamophobia were made against family head Joe Ricketts.
A recent poll by the Chelsea Supporters trust found that 72% of respondents did not have confidence that the family would "run an inclusive and successful club", after Ricketts referred to Muslims as his "enemy" in a 2019 email.
The statement, however, promised that the family would "put diversity and inclusion at the heart of the club and fight against any form of discrimination or inequality" if the bid was successful.
Several other promises were made, relating to investment in the first team, exploring the potential redevelopment of Stamford Bridge, and increasing funding for Chelsea Women.
The list also pledged the creation of an "advisory committee" featuring former players, fans' representatives and community leaders to be involved in the club's decision-making processes.
Al Hilal 3-1 Al Fateh: Neves on target as Saudi giants close in on title
Al Hilal moved 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League as Ruben Neves scored in a 3-1 win over Al Fateh on Friday.
Former Wolves star Neves slotted in from the penalty spot in the 74th minute, as Al Hilal completed a rapid comeback.
Having fallen behind to Lucas Zelarayan's 57th-minute opener, Al Hilal responded swiftly through Micheal before Salem Al Najdi fouled Mohammed Al Qahtani in the penalty area.
Ex-Barcelona winger Cristian Trello and Al Fateh coach Slaven Bilic were booked for their complaints, with Neves making no mistake, paving the way for Ali Al Bulayhi to seal victory in the 15th minute of an extended period of stoppage time.
Data Debrief
Al Hilal have now won 21 games on the spin in the league. They have scored 86 goals across their 28 matches this season, winning 26 in total.
They had 19 shots on Friday, accumulating 2.34 xG to Al Fateh's 0.25, with pass-master Neves creating three chances to go along with his goal.
RFEF elects Rocha as new president
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed Pedro Rocha as its new president.
Rocha has been elected as Luis Rubiales' replacement, despite being under investigation for corruption.
He had been serving as interim president since Rubiales resigned in September over the scandal caused when he kissed player Jenni Hermoso following Spain's Women's World Cup triumph in August.
In a statement released on Friday, the RFEF said: "Pedro Rocha has today been proclaimed the new president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), after having received the support of the majority of the assembly members of this institution that governs Spanish football.
"The process followed the procedure agreed by the Electoral Commission, which met this morning, and the timetable that was established for these elections."
Rocha has been under investigation since earlier in April, after the RFEF's headquarters was raided by police last month. The Spanish government announced on Thursday that it would be stepping in to oversee the running of the organisation.
Guardiola insists three teams still in title hunt despite Liverpool slip-up
Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool remain in the Premier League title race, despite the Reds losing further ground on Arsenal and Manchester City in a dramatic few days at the summit.
Liverpool suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Merseyside rivals Everton on Wednesday, a result which meant they failed to close the gap to Arsenal after the Gunners thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday.
While Jurgen Klopp's men couldn't respond to the Gunners pulling clear, City did on Thursday, with Phil Foden scoring twice in an emphatic 4-0 win over Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
One point behind Arsenal with a game in hand, City know five wins from their five remaining matches will seal an unprecedented fourth successive English top-flight title.
However, Guardiola expects further twists and turns in the coming weeks.
Asked if Liverpool were still in contention after City's win, Guardiola told Sky Sports: "Yeah. Many things can happen.
"What happened with Liverpool, losing to Crystal Palace and Everton, can happen to us. It can happen to Arsenal. No-one is safe. We have to rest. Now it is just about recovering for the next one.
"We have been here in the past but being here in the past doesn't mean it is going to happen. We have to do the things to make it happen."
City's comprehensive win – in which Kevin De Bruyne scored his first headed goal in the Premier League – saw them cut Arsenal's goal difference advantage to eight goals.
However, Guardiola believes it will be tough for City to close that gap, saying: "It is difficult to cut. The margin is so big. They score a lot of goals and don't concede.
"The main thing is to win the games. We have five games left and they are tough ones – it's a lot of games. We'll take it one game at a time."
Foden's first goal against Brighton – a deflected free-kick – saw him become just the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under Guardiola while aged 23 or younger, after Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi.
Foden is the favourite to be named Premier League Player of the Season, and while Guardiola believes he should be in contention, he says his player is more concerned with team honours.
"For sure, but he wants to win the Premier League," Guardiola said when asked if Foden deserved individual honours. "His influence in the final third was better than in the last two or three games. Today he was more calm, his decision-making was good and to score goals is always good."
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