Didier Drogba has lashed out at Chelsea owner Todd Boehly. The Ivorian legend is not the only one to criticize the fallen superpower after their elimination against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Michael Owen was also critical.
Drogba and Owen scathingly criticize Chelsea owner Boehly
Despite some opportunities, Chelsea went down against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening without a chance and lost four games in a row. That while more than 600 million euros have already been spent on new players under Boehly. Despite all those purchases, the results failed to materialize, after which the American decided to fire manager Graham Potter. Potter had been appointed earlier this season to succeed Thomas Tuchel, who was told soon after the takeover by Boehly that he could leave.
Even with club icon Frank Lampard at the helm, no improvement is yet visible at Chelsea. Drogba is very concerned. “This club always had a certain class during the Abramovich era, but I miss that now. I find it very difficult to see how they have pushed certain people aside,” the former striker said in conversation with Canal + on Tuesday evening. “They have to go back to the principles and values they had. I no longer recognize my club, it is no longer the same club with the new owner.”
In the era of owner Roman Abramovich, Drogba became one of Chelsea’s figureheads and shot the club to the Champions League in 2012. The Blues also spent a lot of money on purchases at that time. But it was done in a very intelligent way. Players like Petr Cech, Andriy Shevchenko, Hernán Crespo, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda were brought in to win prizes, they had a certain experience. Now the strategy is different and we are betting on other players.
Owen: “This is disastrous for a manager, I’m sure.”
As a former striker, Owen also finds it incomprehensible that there is no real goalscorer. Among all those big purchases from Chelsea. “This is one of the greatest mysteries of all time. How can you spend 600 million euros and hardly get players who contribute to the scoring ability? They look toothless before the target. Erling Haaland has single-handedly scored four or five goals more than this entire team. It’s unbelievable that a club like Chelsea doesn’t have a player to shoot them in. On a regular basis,” said the former Manchester United striker.
