Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich refusing to sign off £2.3 billion donation pledged to Ukraine after sale of club - Reports

According to The Daily Mail, former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is refusing to sign off on the £2.3 billion that Ukraine is due to receive from the sale of the football club. The Russian-born oligarch was forced to sell the club last year as he was facing sanctions from the British government after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A part of the amount received when Todd Boely's entourage bought Chelsea was supposed to go to the victims of Russia's war on Ukraine. However, Abramovich's "sign off" is reportedly needed before the funds can be released, which the billionaire has refused to provide.

As per the aforementioned report, Abramovich wants Russians affected by the conflict to receive a part of the funds, which is unlikely to be sanctioned by the British government. Hence, there is currently no guarantee about when, if ever, the Ukrainians will receive the funds.

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva spoke about watching his first game as a fan

Since joining Chelsea in 2020 as a free agent after leaving PSG, Thiago Silva has been a stalwart for the Blues. While the club suffered a disastrous 2022-23 season, Silva was one of the few players who could take pride in his performances.

The former AC Milan defender recently opened up about the first match that he watched as a fan of the beautiful game. Speaking about the game between Fluminense and Sao Paulo, Silva said (via the Blues' website):

"I’m not sure it was the first game I went to but the earliest I can remember was at the Maracana. It was such a big stadium, it was overwhelming at first. It was a game between Fluminense and Sao Paulo – a huge game – and I went with my brother-in-law. It was 2-1 to Fluminense, I think, but it was a long time ago."

Silva added:

"The players that stand out in my mind from that game were guys called Magno Alves and Roni, who was in attack that day."

Silva, 38, has maintained his elite level despite his advancing age. He is expected to be a key part of the team in the 2023-24 season as Chelsea look to regroup under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.