Roman Abramovich, the former Chelsea owner, has spoken publicly for the first time since being forced to sell the club following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Russian billionaire was the driving force behind Chelsea’s remarkable success for nearly 20 years, guiding the Blues to win every major trophy in club football.
In a rare interview, Abramovich expressed his hope to one day return to Stamford Bridge to say a proper farewell—something he was denied the chance to do three years ago.
Abramovich purchased Chelsea in 2003 for £140 million and transformed the club into a global football powerhouse. Under his ownership, Chelsea claimed five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and three League Cups. He also ended the club’s long wait for European glory with a Champions League victory in 2012, followed by a second title in 2021.
However, amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Abramovich was compelled to step away amid intense pressure.
Accused of having close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, he faced UK government sanctions in March 2022, leaving him no choice but to sell the club.
After a lengthy two-month takeover process involving several bidders, Abramovich handed Chelsea over to the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium.
Remarkably, Abramovich made nearly 18 times his initial investment by selling the club for £2.5 billion. He insisted that all proceeds be donated to charities supporting victims of the war in Ukraine, though the funds remain frozen in a UK bank account.
During the interview, Abramovich was clear he has no plans to own another football club.
“Perhaps one day there would be a situation where I could attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that,” he told the Daily Mail. “I don’t have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role.”
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