18 April 2023 , 21:35
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Didier Drogba has launched a scathing attack on Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s stewardship of the club, insisting that it has become unrecognisable in the past year.
Blues legend Drogba bagged 164 goals for the club and spearheaded arguably the finest moment in the club’s 118-year history with their Champions League success in 2012. His former teammate Frank Lampard is back as the club’s interim boss but has lost each of his opening four games in charge.
The side slumped to a two-goal loss at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, completing a four-goal aggregate victory for the Spanish and European champions – who rarely had to get out of first gear across the two legs.
Lampard, the club’s third boss of the campaign following Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, also oversaw Premier League defeats against Wolves and Brighton. The Blues are on a miserable run of form and find themselves in the bottom half of the league standings.
Former Chelsea frontman Drogba has not held back on his criticism of the club during the Canal Plus programme Champions Club, covering Tuesday’s clash. The Ivorian spoke out against club owner Boehly, who led a consortium to buy the Blues last year from Roman Abramovich.
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Drogba said, in quotes carried by GFFN: “I don’t recognise my club. It’s no longer the same club. There is a new owner and a new vision. Of course, we try to compare it with what happened during the (Roman) Abramovich era where a lot of players were brought in, but the decisions were very intelligent.
Chelsea interim boss Frank Lampard has lost all four matches back in charge of the club (Michael Regan/Getty Images)Have Your Say! Do you agree with Drogba’s assessment of Chelsea? Tell us what you think here.
“Bringing in players like Petr Cech, Andriy Shevchenko, Herman Crespo, Micheal Essien, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, and I go on. It was done to win titles. They are players with a certain experience. The strategy is now different; we bet on young players. But a dressing room of over 30 players is difficult [to manage] for a manager.”
Drogba continued, criticising the club’s players: “They lack charismatic leaders. You need players that take on the game, that assume their responsibilities. You need a player that brings a bit of madness to the stadium.”
Tuesday night’s defeat at Stamford Bridge ensured the club would finish trophyless for the campaign with Lampard’s remaining time in the dugout now only overseeing Premier League games, as they aim to stop the rot of defeats and climb the standings.