Former Chelsea defender Geremi Njitap says he understands why fans continue to hold on to the memories they made under former owner Roman Abramovich, as the Russian billionaire elevated the club to the level of European giants like Real Madrid.
Chelsea have struggled to return to the heights they reached during Abramovich’s era, where they won 21 major trophies.
Despite the club’s new American owners investing more than a billion in the squad, consistent success on the field has yet to follow.
Speaking to Telecom Asia on a number of topics, former defender Geremi, who won back-to-back Premier League titles at the club said Abramovich’s unrelenting desire to be the best was the fuel that made the club great.
It was a new vision from the president because he wanted to make Chelsea one of the biggest clubs in the world.
That's why he recruited a lot of big players. Psychologically, when you looked at the squad we had at Chelsea, we became one of the biggest clubs in the world.
We didn't envy Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United. Nothing, because we were on the same level. We had the same players, the same quality, everything was similar.
I remember we won some titles, but it was unfortunate we couldn’t win the Champions League- even though we came close. But we were very much in it. Like I said, we were so good, we didn’t envy any of the big teams in Europe.
Since the takeover in May 2022, Chelsea have failed to qualify for the Champions League and are still waiting for their first major trophy under the new ownership.
That could, however, change this season as they are the overwhelming favourites to win the UEFA Europa Conference League. Still, the ultimate goal remains a return to the Champions League, for both sporting and financial reasons.
They are currently sixth in the Premier League table, but still have a strong chance to finish in the top five, which would guarantee Champions League football next season.
Chelsea boast a talented squad, with players like Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernández, and Moisés Caicedo all showing flashes of individual brilliance. However, they are yet to develop the consistency that defines a true footballing powerhouse.
