Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has launched a scathing attack on Chelsea’s owners, accusing them of lacking class and claiming: “I no longer recognise my club”.
Drogba criticised Todd Boehly and Clearlake after Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid. A 2-0 defeat secured a 4-0 aggregate win for Real and effectively ended Chelsea's season.
Drogba, who scored winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final, was working on the game as a pundit and hit out at the way the club has been run since the departure last year of Roman Abramovich.
Speaking on French television station Canal+, the legendary striker said: "I knew this club with a certain class during the [Roman] Abramovich era, but today I find it lacking. It's very hard for me to see how they got rid of certain people.
“They should go back to the principles and values they had. I no longer recognise my club."
Frank Lampard refused to comment on Drogba's assessment, but said he was confident Chelsea would bounce back.
“People will make a lot about this season for Chelsea because we've had so much success and the reality is this club's going to be back and it will take work and maybe a bit of process," said caretaker manager Lampard.
“We have to pick ourselves up. We have been fortunate to have success for 20 years. Many, many clubs in the Premier League would dream of our success in the Champions League, year after year Premier League winners. So this is a year where we are not quite where we want to be and there are reasons for the transition.
“A few years ago we didn't make the Champions League one season and won the Premier League the next. We can't be too short term with it.”
