The English FA is facing a £900,000 bill after skimping on an economy jet for England stars.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard could be out for six weeks with a thigh injury after seven hours cramped on a plane on the way to Qatar for tomorrow’s Brazil friendly.
It is now believed that Chelsea are furious and will claim his £151,000-a-week wages in compensation from the FA.
Lampard and the rest of the England players were forced to spend the long-haul flight to Doha on a charter plane designed for short-haul only.
The superstar players are used to having flat beds for long journeys and were shocked to find seats that barely reclined and several players complained of cramp and muscle pain after the flight.
The squad had their first training session yesterday morning and after an initial warm up, Lampard, now age 31, burst into a sprint and strained his left thigh.
This means that Lampard could now be ruled out of crucial league games against Arsenal, Manchester City, Wolves and Everton plus Champions League clashes with Porto and Apoel Nicosia.
The FA decision to book a cheap charter looks like it will backfire on them as they are only receiving a match fee of £400,000 for the Brazil friendly.