THEY were on top of the world, one of football’s finest clubs, home of some of the best players the planet has seen, their cabinets stuffed with every trophy it was possible to win.
But right now Chelsea is floundering in a blue sea of uncertainty.
As the club celebrated its 117th birthday with a Premier League victory over Norwich recently, the Russian oligarch who has owned the Blues for nearly 20 years was hit with a string of sanctions by the British government, effectively slapping his hand away from their purse and slamming the brakes on his efforts to sell the glamour club for £3 billion (R61,5bn).
When Roman Abramovich announced he was selling Chelsea, he said he would donate funds of the sale to charity – but the choice is no longer his. The British government will take control of the process and decide what to do with the funds, which could either be frozen or go to a charitable fund, possibly for war victims in Ukraine.
But this is about a lot more than the sale of the club.
The sanctions affect everything – and the glory days at Stamford Bridge could be well and truly over. In the days after the UK government, and then the European Union, hit the Russian businessman with sanctions, he and the British authorities reportedly struck a deal over the sale of the club.
MORE ABOUT THE SALE
The government considers new ownership of Chelsea as the best way forward and have allowed Abramovich’s US bank to resume managing the sale, but he would have to write off £1,5bn (R29,4bn) worth of loans he made to the club, and he will receive none of the proceeds of the sale.
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 24 March 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 24 March 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
BALLON IN THE BAG
Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football
IT WAS ALL A LIE
A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country
AGREE TO DISAGREE
Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book
PAUSE THE CLOCK
Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down
MPOOMY ON TOP
We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court
MATT THE RECLUSE
A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight
A LEAP OF FAITH
After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it
