LONDON — Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas was sent off in bizarre circumstances as the below-par Premier League champion, playing with 10 men for over an hour, slumped 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion Monday. Saido Berahino struck twice for Albion but the main talking point at the Hawthorns was the first-half red card shown to Spaniard Fabregas for unsportsmanlike conduct by referee Mike Jones. The official was in the process of booking Chelsea striker Diego Costa after he tussled with Gareth McAuley when Fabregas, standing some 20 meters away, chipped the ball toward a crowd of players and it hit West Brom's Chris Brunt on the head, prompting Jones to walk over and brandish a red card. “What Fabregas did didn't hurt anyone, he shouldn't do it but I don't think that the red card was fair,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told the BBC. The Portuguese said his side, which won the title earlier this month with three games to spare, had lost “concentration, intensity and motivation” with nothing to play for. In typical Mourinho fashion, however, he blamed Manchester City, United and Arsenal for failing to mount a sustained challenge. Chelsea is eight points clear of City going into its final match of the season at home to Sunderland Sunday. Chelsea's third league defeat of the season — the first two coming at Newcastle and Spurs — was kickstarted by West Brom top scorer Berahino's fine curling strike from outside the penalty area after nine minutes. Keeper Thibaut Courtois prevented Chelsea going into halftime further behind but West Brom won a penalty 29 seconds into second half after Berahino was brought down by John Terry. Berahino converted to take his league tally to 14 for the season and Chris Brunt lashed in a third goal on the hour for West Brom which is guaranteed to finish no lower than 13th place. Napoli in CL hunt A brace by Belgian international Dries Mertens helped Napoli to an unconvincing 3-2 win over relegated Cesena but still saw it close to within three points of Lazio and remain in the hunt for a Champions League spot Monday. With two games remaining this season, Napoli will be hoping Roma — which sits one point ahead of Lazio — will do it a favor by beating its city rival next Monday. However before then, Napoli will need to dig deep with a trip to face champion Juventus this Saturday where defeat would leave Lazio requiring just a draw from its derby match to take third spot. Earlier Monday, Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella revealed he could leave the club in the summer if negotiations with owner and president Andrea Della Valle over its future direction do not bear fruit. Beaten semifinalist Fiorentina took a major step toward a place in next season's Europa League with a 3-0 rout of relegated Parma to reclaim fifth spot. — Agencies
