Chelsea Football Club's former medical director Dr Bryan English is suing The Sunday Times over a story which accused him of misdiagnosing injuries to key players.
English is demanding libel damages against publisher Times Newspapers claiming the online story – headlined 'Chelsea boss urges Sanchez to move to London'– branded him a negligent doctor.
He was the club's medical director between 2005 and June 2011.
The story claimed his negligence had cost Chelsea the services of key players Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard for lengthy spells, he says.
The article also meant he was responsible for a difficult relationship with former manager Jose Mourinho, and partly responsible for the dysfunctional nature of affairs at the club, it is claimed.
He says the story meant he was rightly sacked by the club's new manager Andre Villas-Boas and had proved himself unfit to be employed as the medical director of a Premier League football club.
The paper amended the original story by removing the allegations, while maintaining it was proper to have published them, his High Court claim form states.
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