Andre Villas-Boas details the moment Didier Drogba nearly departed Stamford Bridge for Shanghai.
Over the past 20 years, Chelsea have been one of the most successful clubs in Europe. During that time, many managers have walked through the door, with most leaving with silverware and others empty-handed.
Following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti after the 2-0 away defeat to Everton at the end of the 2010/11 season, in which Chelsea finished second, the Blues went down a different route under owner Roman Abramovich.
Any season in which John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech ended trophyless was deemed a failure and would more than likely result in an overhaul. Winning the Premier League and domestic trophies was always the target, but the one Abramovich and the club wanted most was the Champions League.
In the summer of 2011, the west London side appointed Portuguese manager Andre Villas-Boas, who arrived from Europa League winners FC Porto. The managerial move was dubbed at the time as the ‘new Mourinho’. The Portuguese coach was rated so highly that Chelsea paid in excess of £13 million to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
The appointment marked a slight change in approach at recruitment level, moving away from signing ready-made superstars towards a more youthful approach with added Premier League experience. Signings such as Juan Mata, Raul Meireles and Oriol Romeu were seen as marquee additions.
Villas-Boas was dismissed as Chelsea boss in March 2012 following the Blues’ 1-0 away defeat to West Bromwich Albion, with Roberto Di Matteo taking over.
Stamford Bridge thrives in chaos, as the Blues went on to become the first team from London to win the Champions League, and that still remains the case to this day. But that might not have come to fruition, according to a fascinating revelation from the former boss.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, the 48-year-old lifted the lid on his time in the hot seat and revealed that Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League victory may not have happened if Didier Drogba had got his way.
Drogba scored the equaliser and winning penalty against Bayern Munich in the final, but Villas-Boas revealed that the Ivorian had wanted to leave Chelsea for Shanghai Shenhua earlier that season.
He said: “Didier wanted to go to Shanghai. So Didier knocked on my office to join Shenhua in advance… He takes a penalty at home (3-1 defeat to Aston Villa). He scores and says goodbye to the West Stand and then he ends up staying.”
Drogba went on to stay and win both the Champions League and FA Cup before eventually joining Shanghai Shenhua on a free transfer. However, history could have looked a lot different if Chelsea had sanctioned the sale of the forward in January 2012.
The Ivorian returned to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2014 and went on to win both the League Cup and Premier League during his second stint at the club.
As for Villas-Boas, he later joined Tottenham Hotspur in July 2012 before being dismissed just over a year later.
