The Takeover That Led to Chelsea's Club World Cup Glory

Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. After Chelsea's Club World Cup win at the weekend, Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by author Nick Purewal, who discusses his book Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC about the sanctioning of Roman Abramovich and the sale of Chelsea FC.

Here we give a unique insight into the unprecedented chaos surrounding Chelsea during their 2022 sale, including behind-the-scenes details of Abramovich's involvement in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a near-poisoning event, and the tumultuous sale process of the club that led to current owner Todd Boehly buying the club.

00:00 Introduction
04:51 Abramovich's Role and the War's Impact
07:35 The Rapid Downfall and Sanctions
16:04 Abramovich's Involvement in Peace Talks
19:28 The Poisoning Incident
26:10 Skepticism and Vindication
29:52 Legal Confusion and Government Challenges
31:47 Chelsea's Struggles Under Sanctions
35:23 The High-Stakes Sale Process
38:48 The Bidding War Heats Up
44:26 Jim Ratcliffe's Last-Minute Bid
50:10 The Aftermath and Reflections

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