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Chelsea, like other elite clubs across Europe, have had the privilege of recruiting some of the biggest names in football over the years. With success at domestic and European levels, Stamford Bridge quickly became a fortress.
As anyone would expect, some of these players became popular figures at the club and were well respected by the fans. Others, however, suffered the opposite fate during their spells in London due to contrasting reasons.
As a matter of fact, it is not strange to see top players being subjected to unfair treatment at Chelsea. We've witnessed a number of such cases in recent years, usually because of fallout with the board, managers and even fans. Below, we highlight five such instances:
#5 Olivier Giroud
For a player who spent all of his time at Stamford Bridge playing as a second-choice striker, bagging 39 goals and 14 assists in two-and-a-half seasons was no mean feat for Olivier Giroud.
The Frenchman delivered whenever he got the chance. His amazing goal for the Blues against Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final was a pure display of class. Despite stepping up to the plate on multiple occasions, the striker never got the recognition he deserved.
From being limited to a bit-part role at Stamford Bridge to facing heavy criticism from fans, Olivier Giroud's time at Chelsea left much to be desired. The player revealed in January that he felt disrespected and underrated at the club. Just six months later, he left for AC Milan.
#4 Paul Canoville
Paul Canoville made history when he featured for Chelsea in the 1981-82 campaign as he became the first ever black player to represent the Blues. However, what followed was one of the ugliest episodes in the history of the club.
The attacker was subjected to severe racial abuse from fans of the club he was representing. The situation got so ugly that the Southall-born forward was forced to end his association with the club in 1986.
Canoville left for Reading where he spent two years before joining Enfield Town and eventually retiring at Maidenhead United. During an interview in 2016, the attacker reflected on the abuse he suffered at Chelsea. He stated that he now holds chats with those who abused him to learn their motives.
He said:
"They [his abusers] are grown up now. So I ask them, 'What were you trying to achieve? Why did you feel you could racially abuse me? What was going through your mind at that time?"
#3 Petr Cech
It wouldn't be far-fetched to label Petr Cech the greatest goalkeeper in Chelsea's history. The Czech international was a highly reliable figure between the sticks, making a whopping 494 appearances for the Blues during his 11-year stint.
Cech helped the club win several honors, including four EPL titles, one Champions League crown and five FA Cups before leaving for Arsenal in 2015. At the time of his departure, it was evident that the goalkeeper wanted to continue at Stamford Bridge. However, he was deemed too old by the club and forced out as a result.
His exit didn't sit well with many players in the dressing room. Former Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic was among those to reveal their displeasure towards the transfer, saying:
"Petr is a great guy and a great keeper. He is going to be a very important signing for Arsenal. But I am not happy because of that."
#2 Diego Costa
Diego Costa joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth €35 million in the summer of 2014. The striker enjoyed a fabulous start to life at Stamford Bridge, scoring 20 goals in 26 Premier League appearances in his debut season.
He maintained his place in the starting lineup even after Antonio Conte was appointed manager ahead of the 2016-2017 campaign. However, the relationship between the pair soon deteriorated. Prior to the 2018-2019 season, Conte reportedly sent a controversial text to the player informing him he wasn't in his plans.
Costa eventually returned to Atletico Madrid midway through the season and didn't hold anything back when reflecting on the text saga. He said:
“It can happen, but I thought it was disrespectful. I always asked to speak face to face with the coach and the board. I never sent [them] text messages, so it shows what kind of person he is."
#1 Jorginho
Jorginho was the subject of intense scrutiny following his switch to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2018. He impressed with his ball distribution and tactical brilliance but his efforts weren't appreciated. Apparently, some of the fans who preferred Ngolo Kante in the defensive midfield role made life difficult for the Italian.
However, Jorginho managed to win over his critics, helping Chelsea to win the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup this year. He also inspired Italy to claim the recently-concluded European Championship.
Shortly after winning the UEFA Player of the Year award last month, the Italian hit back at his critics, saying:
"My start at Chelsea made me miss Napoli even more. We all remember what they were saying, right? I was too slow. I was too weak. I was Sarri’s son. Man, it made me so angry."
"But listen, they underestimated me. I just used the criticism as fuel. I was thinking, these people are going to be embarrassed. And now I’m sitting here with a Europa League title and a Champions League title. So to all the critics, I just want to say one thing. Thank you. Really, thank you all," he signed off.
