Didier Drogba launches scathing attack on Todd Boehly after Chelsea crash out of Europe
‘I don’t recognize my club’: Didier Drogba launches devastating attack on Todd Boehly after Chelsea’s Champions League flops crashed… as Blues legend says they ‘lack class’
Didier Drogba launched a scathing attack on Chelsea’s owners on Tuesday night as his former club crashed out of the Champions League.
After addressing the players following the weekend’s loss to Brighton, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly – who took control last year – went back to the dressing room after the 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid thanks to Rodrygo’s second half brace.
And blues legend Drogba, who played such a key role in former owner Roman Abramovich’s golden era, fired a verbal attack at the new regime after a result that effectively means the Blues will not be playing Champions League football next season.
“I knew this club with a certain class during the Abramovich era, but today I feel it is missing. I find it very difficult to see how they got rid of certain people,” said the Ivorian.
“They should go back to the principles and values they had.
Didier Drogba (left) launched a scathing attack on the Chelsea owners following their departure from Europe
The former Chelsea striker said decisions made under Roman Abramovich were “intelligent”.
Drogba said he no longer recognized the club where he served for two spells between 2004 and 2015.
“I don’t recognize my club. It is not the same club anymore, there is a new owner and a new vision.
“Of course we try to compare it to what happened during the (Roman) Abramovich era where a lot of players were brought in, but the decisions were very intelligent.
Players like Petr Cech, Andriy Shevchenko, Hernan Crespo, Micheal Essien, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and I go on and on. It was done to win titles.
“They are players with a certain experience. The strategy is different now; we bet on young players. But a dressing room of more than 30 players is difficult [to manage] for an administrator.
He accepted that the club has a new policy of bringing in young players, but that the side lacks charismatic leaders
The club seems a long way from the days of the likes of Frank Lampard, Drogba and other heroes
‘They lack charismatic leaders. You need players who take on the game, who take responsibility. You need a player who brings a little bit of madness to the stadium.’
Despite their elimination, interim head coach Frank Lampard insisted the club will recover from their latest setback, leaving them with little to play until the end of the season.
“The motivation is to play for Chelsea, we have to be competitive in everything we do every day,” said Lampard.
“People are making a lot of this season because we’ve had so much success, but the reality is we’ll be back. It will take work and a little process.’
