The Italian coach, who won the double Premier League-Fa Cup in his first season, said that the Russian billionaire had measured his success in Mourinho's yardstick, and that their Champions League match against Inter Milan had been decisive in his departure from Stamford Bridge.
Ancelotti directed Chelsea for two seasons, from 2009 to 2011, making a national double from its first year. However, Abramovich dismissed him in the summer of 2011 after a new European setback. A critical moment occurred when the Inter de Mourinho eliminated Chelsea from the Champions League in 2010, a result deemed unacceptable by the owner, who had already dismissed the Portuguese coach.
“” Abramovitch clearly expressed his wish to see me win the Champions League with Chelsea and see Chelsea assert her identity on the ground “, Reveals Ancelotti in his new book” The Dream – Winning the Champions League “, whose extract was published by the Daily Mail. “” But now, I worked for a Russian oligarch who, I suddenly understood, expected that everything is going well permanently. And if that was not the case, he wanted to know why. It was my role to provide the answers. »»
“The next day, Abramovitch did not address me, but to the whole team. My problem is that Mourinho's triumph was not beneficial for my relationship with Abramovitch. I was supposed to be the antidote to Mourinho: calm, measured and capable of relaunching the team after the drama. According to Abramovitch, Mourinho was supposed to be exhausted. »»
By letting him disturb the scenario, I had embarrassed the owner. Success or failure in Europe, this is how Abramovich would judge me – and the Champions League cost me my post. Torres was his personal decision and his replacement was a direct affront to the owner. I had momentarily forgotten that in the end, we cannot beat the owner.
Abramovich realized his Dream of Champions League a year later
The story of Ancelotti highlights the high expectations of Abramovich during his reign in Chelsea. Despite its national triumphs, the Russian oligarch measured success almost exclusively with its performances in the Champions League. Chelsea would eventually win the largest European Grand Prix in 2012 under the direction of Roberto Di Matteo, although out of a memorable final against a formidable Bayern Munich at home, a year after the dismissal of Ancelotti.
Ancelotti has the last word with five champions leagues.
Already entered the legend thanks to its exploits to AC Milan, Ancelotti has since rebuilt its reputation thanks to passages to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and now in Brazil. He won the Decima, previously elusive, from Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2013-2014, and won two others during his second visit to the Bernabéu, in addition to two European triumphs with Milan. For his part, Abramovich has since lost Chelsea for the benefit of Todd Boehly and Blueco., After the oligarch was forced to sell the club because of the sanctions imposed by the British government following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
