by Salvatore Riggio
Tycoon has docked $1.2 billion Eclipse in Marmaris and another boat in Bodrum while Chelsea players collect to pay for the trip
Roman Abramovich can no longer manage Chelsea since the British government intervened and gave the Blues a dispensation until May 31, but is trying to save two of his megayachts from confiscation following sanctions hit by Russian oligarchs.
The Eclipse (worth almost 1.2 billion euros, built in 2010 and equipped with its own missile defense system) has docked at a resort in Marmaris in southwest Turkey, as reported by the Turkish news agency DHA. As of Monday March 21, another Abramovichowned superyacht, My Solaris, had docked in nearby Bodrum. At that time there were protests by young Ukrainian seafarers who waved their country’s flags on a small inflatable boat. The youngsters are part of a junior sailing team that was in Turkey to compete and left Ukraine before the Russian invasion. We had to do something. We want the world to know that Ukraine wants freedom and peace, coach Paulo Donstov told the BBC. The dinghy was then escorted by Turkish police.
Surveillance data showed the yachts reached Turkey, where there are no sanctions against Russian billionaires, without entering the territorial waters of EU member Greece. In fact, Turkey has not joined sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine.
It should be borne in mind that the Russian magnate’s assets have been frozen and, of course, Chelsea will also be affected. The Blues will be able to play, but the club will not be able to make a profit. For this reason, the sale of match tickets, the sale of merchandise and the freezing of transfers in and out of the team are prohibited. But beware: contract extensions are blocked.
Chelsea lose five players on a free transfer. Including captain Cesar Azpilicueta, but also Antonio Rüdiger (close to Juventus), Andreas Christensen, Charly Musonda Jr. and Saul Niguez. They are the top three most concerned about Chelsea and their manager Thomas Tuchel. And there would also be a pact in the dressing room between the players to pay for their air travel out of pocket as the London club cannot exceed £20,000.
March 22, 2022 (change March 22, 2022 | 21:49)
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