{"id":1144949,"date":"2020-09-15T14:00:18","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T13:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1144949"},"modified":"2020-09-15T14:03:05","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T13:03:05","slug":"chelsea-last-team-before-roman-abramovich-took-over","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/chelsea-last-team-before-roman-abramovich-took-over\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea’s last line-up before the Roman Abramovich takeover, then and now: Who *really* scored the ‘\u00a31bn goal’?"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 11, 2003 is a day forever etched in the minds of Chelsea supporters. <\/strong><\/p>\n

It was the last time Blues fielded a team prior to Roman Abramovich’s acquisition a month later. The London-based club were playing the final match of their season at Stamford Bridge with Champions League football on the line.<\/p>\n

As it happened, Chelsea’s rival for the last spot just so happened to be their opponents for the day, Liverpool. Claudio Ranieri’s men narrowly won 2-1, persuading Abramovich to purchase the club. One, of course, wonders how things would have turned out had they failed.<\/p>\n

The Russian oligarch arrived and immediately got to spending, forever changing the landscape of English football. Within two years the Blues secured a first league title in 50 years, under Jose Mourinho, before adding another a season later. Abramovich would get his ultimate wish in 2012, when Chelsea secured the Champions League four years after seeing them lose to Manchester United in Moscow.<\/p>\n

As for that historic starting line-up in 2003, we ask where are they now?<\/p>\n

Goalkeeper: Carlo Cudicini<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Age:<\/strong> 47<\/li>\n
  • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 191<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A graduate of AC Milan’s academy, the Milanese goalkeeper found his way to Stamford Bridge in 1999 after stints with Prato, Lazio and Castel di Sangro.<\/p>\n

    He would ultimately stay over 10 seasons before leaving for Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 after losing his first-team spot to Petr Cech a few years prior. Cudicini would represent Spurs on 37 occasions before leaving for Los Angeles Galaxy.<\/p>\n

    He returned as part of Antonio Conte’s backroom staff in the summer of 2016, and has since stayed on under Maurizio Sarri, since Frank Lampard’s arrival he’s been appointed loan player technical coach while continuing his work as a club ambassador.<\/p>\n

    Right-back: Mario Melchiot<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    • Age:<\/strong> 43<\/li>\n
    • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 164<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Melchiot joined Chelsea the same year as Cudicini from Ajax, in whose esteemed youth program he was trained.<\/p>\n

      The Dutchman would leave Stamford Bridge in 2004 but remained in England with Birmingham City, before joining Rennes and then Wigan Athletic.<\/p>\n

      His final days as a professional were spent in Qatar; these days he appears as the occasional television pundit.<\/p>\n

      Outside the game, the former Dutch international released a rap\/R & B track called “Midas Touch” along with former Ajax teammates Benni McCarthy and Dean Gorre, known as BMD. He also regularly spreads the “MM love” on Twitter, enjoying watching football from the outside.<\/p>\n

      Centre-back: William Gallas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Age:<\/strong> 43<\/li>\n
      • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 224<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Ranieri signed Gallas from Marseille in 2001 for \u00a36.2m, and he would subsequently forge a strong centre-back partnership with Marcel Desailly and later John Terry. With the latter, they once went 16 consecutive games without conceding a goal.<\/p>\n

        Under the auspices of Jose Mourinho, he would move to right-back, until leaving for Arsenal as part of a deal that saw Ashley Cole move the other way in 2006.<\/p>\n

        Gallas would then cross another London divide, after making 140 appearances, by joining Spurs.<\/p>\n

        The former French international, who collected 84 caps with Les Bleus, ended a 19-year playing career with Perth Glory in 2014.<\/p>\n

        Centre-back: Marcel Desailly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        • Age:<\/strong> 52<\/li>\n
        • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 222<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Chelsea signed the World Cup winner after he played an instrumental role in France winning their first championship in the summer of 1998. Desailly joined from AC Milan, where he won the Champions League, scoring in their 1994 final against Barcelona, and earned a place in the club’s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

          In west London, Desailly was immediately given the captaincy under then boss Gianluca Vialli. After six seasons, including an FA Cup win in 2000 and the equaliser in that game against Liverpool, the defender called time on his stay in England and played the last two years of his professional career in Qatar with Al-Gharafa and then Qatar SC.<\/p>\n

          Desailly today is a Unicef ambassador and ever-present as a television pundit in his native France and occasionally England.<\/p>\n

          Left-back: Celestine Babayaro<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          • Age:<\/strong> 42<\/li>\n
          • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 197<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Part of the golden generation that won gold for Nigeria at the 1996 Olympic games, Babayaro found his way to London via Anderlecht the following summer and became a mainstay in their squad for more than a decade.<\/p>\n

            After spending one season under Mourinho, he would depart the Bridge for Newcastle United, where he enjoyed three seasons before retiring at LA Galaxy in 2010.<\/p>\n

            Right-midfielder: Jesper Gr\u00f8nkj\u00e6r<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Age:<\/strong> 43<\/li>\n
            • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 137<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Gr\u00f8nkj\u00e6r was the last Chelsea goalscorer before Abramovich’s takeover, netting what has since been dubbed the “billion-pound goal”. Some would argue that is was in fact Desailly’s equaliser that secured Champions League football as they only needed to avoid losing to finish in the top four.<\/p>\n

              In any case, Gr\u00f8nkj\u00e6r can claim the assist for Desailly’s headed goal but wouldn’t stick around much longer to enjoy the success resulting from the investment his goal purportedly triggered. Gr\u00f8nkj\u00e6r left a season later having been with the club for four seasons.<\/p>\n

              He would go on to enjoy spells at Birmingham City, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid, VfB Stuttgart as well as F.C. Copenhagen in his native Denmark.<\/p>\n

              The winger-forward retired in 2011 citing that he wants to enjoy a “life without aches”<\/a>. However, in early 2016, he joined lower amateur-side FC Gr\u00e6sr\u00f8dderne.<\/p>\n

              Central midfielder: Emmanuel Petit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                \n
              • Age:<\/strong> 49<\/li>\n
              • Chelsea appearances:<\/strong> 76<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Petit called time on his glittering 16-year playing career at Chelsea, his fourth club.<\/p>\n

                Starting out at Monaco, he would reunite with his former boss Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, winning the double in his first season before scoring in the World Cup final of 1998.<\/p>\n

                Petit later jetted off to Barcelona in the summer for 2000 (not before starring in an episode of The Bill) but his stay was brief, returning to England with Chelsea after a single campaign.<\/p>\n

                \n

                It\u2019s Emmanuel Petit\u2019s birthday. You remember him.<\/p>\n

                French international. World Cup winner. And one time star of… The Bill.https:\/\/t.co\/7oYQ6FShDL<\/a><\/p>\n

                — A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) September 22, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n