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Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has spoken publicly for the first time since he was forced to sell the club in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Russian oligarch was a central figure in Chelsea’s success for nearly two decades, overseeing a golden era in which the club won every major trophy in European club football.
In a rare interview, Abramovich expressed his desire to one day return to Stamford Bridge and bid a proper farewell—an opportunity he was denied in 2022. He purchased Chelsea in 2003 for £140 million and transformed the club into a global powerhouse. Under his ownership, the Blues claimed five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League trophies—ending a long wait for European glory in 2012 and lifting a second title in 2021.
Abramovich was forced to step away from the club amid mounting pressure following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war. Accused of having close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, he faced sanctions from the UK government in March 2022 and had no choice but to sell the club.
The sale process culminated in the club being handed over to the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium after a two-month saga involving multiple bidders.
Abramovich made a staggering profit on the sale, earning around £2.5 billion—nearly 18 times his initial investment. He stipulated that the proceeds be donated to charities supporting victims of the war in Ukraine, though the funds remain frozen in a UK bank account.
In the interview, Abramovich made it clear he has no plans to return to football ownership.
“Perhaps one day there will be an opportunity to attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that,” Abramovich said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “I don’t have any interest in any role at a football club, certainly not a professional one.”
