Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has apparently turned his back on football after a distressing breakup with the club. The Russian transformed Chelsea into one of the world’s most successful teams after purchasing them in 2003.
However, he had to endure the seizure of his assets and sanctions by the UK government for alleged links to Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Abramovich was then compelled to offload his Chelsea shares to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May of that year for £2.5 billion.
It is believed that he also remains embittered by the UK Government’s decision to retract his ‘golden visa’ in 2018, also known as the Tier 1 Investor visa, which grants residency to wealthy individuals making significant investments in the country.
According to confidants, Abramovich has scarcely engaged with football since relinquishing control to Boehly’s group. A source shared with The Sun: “Roman still likes football. But he doesn’t go to games any more. It was always about Chelsea.”
However, fans may soon unearth more about the enigmatic Russian’s views with Abramovich having given his first batch of interviews since 2021, for an upcoming book titled Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC’
The two-part interview is set to divulge his side of the story regarding the sale and the sanctions stemming from Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, reports Football London.
One of the interviews was conducted in Abu Dhabi this January and another a year prior in Istanbul, where he reportedly spends much of his time. Chelsea fans will be eager for any insights from the 58-year-old, who hasn’t participated in an official interview since 2006.
Ex-Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who played under Abramovich’s ownership, revealed that the Russian tycoon still feels bitter about being compelled to sell the club.
“It’s just unfortunate what happened: he lost the football club,” Mikel said. “I still speak to people close to him and it still pains him. He’s still angry about what happened.
“He’s not happy that he lost his ‘baby’ because Chelsea Football Club was his football club. He really cared about the football club, not just the players but the fans.”
In a statement released upon the sale, Abramovich said: “As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart. In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners.”
During Abramovich’s 19 years at the helm, Chelsea amassed an impressive haul of 21 major trophies, including five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two Champions League crowns, and a pair of Europa League titles.
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