Chelsea FC Away 1998/2000

Chelsea FC Away 1998/2000

Season 1998/1999
After a solid fourth-place finish coupled with European and League Cup success the previous season, Chelsea really felt that they could challenge for the title this season. Chelsea made more big name signings, including French World Cup winning defender Marcel Desailly from A.C. Milan, Spanish international full-back Albert Ferrer from Barcelona and, in a club-record £5.4 million move, Italian international striker Pierluigi Casiraghi from Lazio. Casiraghi’s season and career was cut short by a knee injury, but his compatriot Gianfranco Zola had arguably the best season of his career, leading Chelsea to a serious title challenge, scoring 15 goals in all competitions and setting up many other goals for his teammates.

Ultimately, the European Super Cup, won by beating Europeans champions Real Madrid. It was the only trophy that Chelsea had to show for their excellence. Their defence of the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup ended in the semi-finals. In the title challenge Chelsea came up shirt against rivals Arsenal and Manchester United. Nonetheless, a final third-place finish booked them their first ever UEFA Champions League campaign and was another triumph for their excellent young manager Gianluca Vialli, who, at 35, announced his retirement as a player to concentrate on his managerial duties.

Season 1999/2000
Chelsea qualified for the Champions League third qualifying round. And were expected to go one better and win the title. France captain Didier Deschamps was signed for £3 million from Juventus. To add even more quality and experience to a Chelsea midfield that already boasted Dennis Wise, Roberto Di Matteo and Gustavo Poyet. Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton was also signed for £10 million. But he proved to be a flop with only one league goal all season. It did came in a 5-0 drubbing of Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.

His strike partner, Gianfranco Zola, had a poor league season. By his standard, scoring just four goals, but he made up for that by again setting up many more goals for the team. Chelsea opened the season with 4–0 win over newly promoted Sunderland with Gus Poyet scoring a stunning scissors kick goal. Zola, in contrast to his average league form, made Europe sit up and notice as he led Chelsea’s Champions league debut appearance in the group stage. Chelsea were drawn against AC Milan, Hertha Berlin and Galatasaray. With their first game being against AC Milan at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea topped Group H with 11 points after some standout performances. Especially an impressive 5–0 win in Turkey and two creditable draws home and away with AC Milan.

Zola scored a spectacular free kick in a 3–1 win over FC Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea were eliminated in the second leg at the Nou Camp. On the Premier league front, Gianluca Vialli’s side finished a solid fifth place in the final table but were too inconsistent to mount anything like a title challenge. Chelsea won their fourth cup in four seasons with a 1–0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley. After David James dropped the ball from a Chelsea corner allowing Di Matteo to score. Chelsea had the last cup final triumph at the old Wembley stadium before it was rebuilt. Gus Poyet was key during Chelsea’s FA cup run, scoring a hat trick against Hull at Boothferry Park. In a 6–1 win and netting twice against Newcastle at Wembley.

On 26 December 1999, in their 1–2 away win over Southampton. Chelsea became the first team in the Football League history to field a starting eleven without an English player. The squad was made up of: Ed de Goey, Albert Ferrer, Franck Leboeuf, Emerson Thome and Celestine Babayaro in defence. Deschamps, Dan Petrescu, Di Matteo, Poyet and Gabriele Ambrosetti in midfield. And Tore André Flo as the lone striker.

If you want to re-live some Zola moments, you can watch them here.

The Shirt
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