Published: 25th May 2012
WINNING the Champions League brought one trophy Roman Abramovich craved — but it did not deliver the holy grail.
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That ultimate prize will not be in Rom’s grasp until Pep Guardiola finally agrees to be Chelsea manager.
The man who turned Barcelona into the world’s greatest footballing team is the embodiment of everything Abramovich wants at Chelsea.
The Russian billionaire will not rest until Chelsea are playing with the same mesmerising skill and flair as the Catalans.
And he will not rest until Chelsea become a universal by-word for just about everything that Guardiola created at the Nou Camp.
After Rom fired Carlo Ancelotti last year just 12 months after winning the Double, there was only one man in his thinking.
Last summer Abramovich dispatched agents to Spain in a fruitless attempt to secure Guardiola’s services.
It has even been alleged he promised to make the 41-year-old wealthy beyond his dreams.
But Guardiola was not for moving.
He was already in football utopia and did not need a blank chequebook to lure him away. Abramovich had to turn to the young Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas but his patience ran out in March and AVB was sacked.
Again there only one man on Abramovich’s wish-list. The man who had won 14 trophies, including two Champions Leagues, in four years at Barca.
At that point Guardiola was making noises about leaving Spain. It was a message that gave Abramovich renewed optimism he could finally add the missing piece in his jigsaw.
Once more he dispatched his agents to talk him into coming to London while appointing Roberto Di Matteo to keep the manager’s seat warm.
Guardiola’s style of play, his love of the beautiful game and his laidback manner appeal to the Chelsea owner.
Unlike former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, he has no ego but goes about his work in an efficient manner — building a team that has been hailed as the best club side in world.
Even when the novice Di Matteo outwitted him on route to winning the Champions League, it failed to damage Guardiola’s reputation in the eyes of the Russian.
Then Guardiola — following a poor season when he failed to retain either the La Liga title or Champions League trophy — announced his departure from Barca.
He told his bosses he was mentally and physically drained, had taken the team as far as he could and wanted to take a year off before considering his next move. Once again that appeared to kill any hopes Abramovich had of bringing him to England. Until now.
In a dramatic U-turn in the last 48 hours it appears Guardiola is almost certainly courting interest from Chelsea.
Seduce me, says Guardiola. An offer Abramovich will not refuse.
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