Following their Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain, and inevitable assassination from the media and fans, Chelsea seem a team currently at the forefront of attention for all the wrong reasons.
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In tribute to this, we have put together 10 reasons why people dislike Chelsea so much.
Diving players
Players across all of the top divisions in Europe are occasionally known for going down far too easily, though none have quite the reputation as Didier Drogba. Chelsea new boy Diego Costa seems to have picked up the mantle fairly well, picking up a booking for simulation every 890.5 minutes on the pitch.
Flags
Not many things rankle with old fashioned avid football-goers more than clubs trying to artificially generate an atmosphere and anyone who has visited Stamford Bridge will know all about their flag waving antics. They don’t really seem to add to the atmosphere and just irk football fans home and away.
Buying the title
Not even the most fair-weather Chelsea fan could argue that Roman Abramovich’s millions have brought success to Stamford Bridge which otherwise wouldn’t have come. In the 98 years before the Russian oligarch’s arrival, Chelsea had won eight major trophies and in the 12 years since, they have won another 12 thanks to his financial help.
Mourinho’s mind games
There aren’t many managers who divide opinion, and seemingly take great joy in doing so, as much as Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho. Nothing he says can be taken at face value, as it’s often a cryptic dig at the FA, the media or an opposition manager. Added to which, the self-appointed ‘Special One’ isn’t short on confidence either and knows exactly how to rub people up the wrong way.
Their celebrity fans
The Blues have a host of celebrity fans who aren’t especially well liked by the public or media. TV presenter Tim Lovejoy, once a fan of Watford, switched allegiances to Chelsea, breaking the silent rule between all football fans that you can never swap teams. The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne was seen celebrating Chelsea’s Champions League win against Bayern Munich and Jeremy Clarkson is a vociferous visitor of Stamford Bridge. The most disliked though is perhaps Robert Mugabe, who is known as a huge Chelsea supporter.
Diego Costa’s dirtiness
The Brazilian born Spaniard is never far away from the headlines, be it for the right or wrong reasons. Costa was involved in two high profile stamping incidents in the League Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge against Liverpool, found guilty for one of them. The old-fashioned bustling forward isn’t shy of a 50/50 and often pops up with a goal, further annoying opposition fans.
Lack of faith in homegrown players
To get an idea of Chelsea’s lack of faith in their own players, all you have to do is look at the fact they’ve sent 30 players out on loan this season. Rather than give players like Patrick Bamford or Nathaniel Chalobah a chance at Stamford Bridge, they’d sooner farm them out to Championship sides where they can show their potential and still never get in the Blues first team on their return.
Rapid growth of idiotic fans
The whole world saw the regrettable incidents on the Paris metro as racist Chelsea fans stopped a black man boarding following their Champions League last-16 first leg tie. With more success, more glory hunting and fair-weather fans will obviously come, but along with this there will be more moronic fans and the events in Paris is testament to this.
John Terry
The man is derided throughout football everywhere but Stamford Bridge where he is a legend. He slept with his team-mates fiancée whilst he married and was found guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand on the pitch when Chelsea played QPR in 2012. Chelsea through and through, he stuck his kit on when the Blues won the Champions League in Munich, despite not playing, much to the annoyance of football fans around England.
Jealousy
In the 12 years since Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea, they have won 12 major trophies. That kind of success is definitely enough to awaken the green eyed monster from fans of other clubs across the Premier League. They have already won the League Cup this season and look like destined to cap off the highly successful season with a the league title.