Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 7y

Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi denies laughing at Alvaro Morata penalty miss

Michy Batshuayi has denied claims that he enjoyed teammate Alvaro Morata's penalty miss after TV footage appeared to show him stifling laughter during Chelsea's shootout defeat to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield. 

Chelsea lost 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Wembley as both goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and striker Morata -- the club-record signing who came on for Batshuayi in the 74th minute -- failed to convert in the first use of the new ABBA shootout system. 

Batshuayi and Morata are expected to compete for one starting spot as the central striker in Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 formation this season, but the Belgium international dismissed any suggestion that he revelled in his rival's disappointment on Sunday.

"Wow lol some people really believe I laughed at my teammate and/or us losing ? Sorry to disappoint but I wasnt," he wrote on Twitter. 

"I'm enjoying every goal for us scored by anyone in the team, thats the only thing you have to know. Have a blessed day." 

Batshuayi signed for Chelsea in a £33 million deal from Marseille last summer but the presence of Diego Costa restricted him to just one Premier League start in his debut season, though he did come off the bench to score the goal that clinched the title for the away at West Brom in May.

Costa has since been exiled as he seeks to force through a return to Atletico Madrid, but Morata's arrival from Real Madrid for an initial fee of £58m this summer appears likely to maintain Batshuayi's status as a backup option.

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