Reece James revealed yesterday that burglars broke into his house and stole his Champions League winners’ medal while he was playing for Chelsea in a European tie this week.
The right-back, who featured for the Blues in their 1-0 win against Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday, confirmed that his Champions League and Super Cup winners’ medals and Euro 2020 runners-up medal with England had been taken.
“On the evening of the 14th of September 2021 when I was playing for my club in the return of the Champions League, a group of cowardly robbers broke into my house,” he posted on Instagram. “They managed to collectively lift a heavy safe containing some personal items of mine into their car.”
James, who was part of the Chelsea team that beat Manchester City in the Champions League final in May, put up four video clips of the intruders on Instagram. The 21-year-old defender said those investigating the crime were “closing in” on the perpetrators.
“These medals were won representing Chelsea and England — honours that can never be taken away from me whether or not I have the physical medals to prove it,” he said.
“Nevertheless, I am appealing to all my Chelsea and England fans to help identify and turn in these low-life individuals who will never be able to rest easy as the evidence is mounting against them. “Luckily, no one was present during the break-in,” he added.  

Ake’s father dies just minutes after Champions League goal

Manchester City’s Nathan Ake revealed that his father passed away just moments after the Dutch international had scored his first Champions League goal. Ake opened the scoring in the 16th minute of Wednesday’s 6-3 rout of RB Leipzig.
However, the 26-year-old’s golden moment was tinged with sadness after his father Moise, who was believed to be suffering from a terminal illness, died shortly after.
“The past few weeks have been the toughest of my life, my dad has been very ill and there was no more treatment possible,” Ake wrote on Instagram. “Yesterday after a difficult time I scored my first Champions League goal, and only a few minutes after he passed away peacefully with my mum and brother by his side. Maybe it was meant to be, watching me play always made him proud and happy. I know you’re always with me, you will always be in my heart and this one was for you dad.”

Goretzka extends Bayern contract

Leon Goretzka has penned a new deal to stay at Bayern Munich until 2026, it was announced yesterday, following on from his Germany teammate Joshua Kimmich who has also committed to the defending Bundesliga champions. Goretzka was out of contract at the end of the season, but the midfield enforcer has committed to another five years, just weeks after national teammate Kimmich extended his Bayern deal until 2025.
Since joining Bayern from Schalke three years ago, Goretzka, 26, has forged a midfield partnership with Kimmich for Germany and Bayern, winning three back-to-back Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in 2020.