Since Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 their season has normally extended right into May as they have chased trophies every season but this year it's only just mid March and it's virtually game over for their season. This summer will really be the start of a new era!
John Terry is off at the end of the season meaning the end of the iconic group of players who helped Chelsea conquer England and Europe in the last 13 years, Mourinho isn't coming back and neither is ship steadier Guus Hiddink. That means a big rebuilding job for the next manager, likely to be Antonio Conte.
And he could have to do it without star striker Diego Costa with the striker reportedly doing everything he can to force a move out of Stamford Bridge and back to the Vicente Calderon Stadium with Atletico Madrid, that might explain the biting incident.
The news comes from Spanish website fichajes.net who say that Costa wants to leave Chelsea to rejoin his former mento Diego Simeone, the pair won La Liga and reached the Champions League final together.
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The report also suggests that Costa's biting incident with Gareth Barry on Saturday and spitting at the ref as he walked off the pitch following the red card were signs of his frustration. Earlier in the week against PSG the striker had been Chelsea's driving force and their chances of going through were killed the moment he went off injured.
Chelsea's new era could be kicked off without the edge that the likes of Terry and Costa currently give them but would that be a good thing?
(h/t Fichajes.net)
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