Chelsea sacked Carlo Ancelotti on this day in 2011, one year after he had led the club to a domestic double.
The Italian, then 51, won the Premier League title and the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2010, but was ruthlessly dismissed by club owner Roman Abramovich after failing to deliver a trophy the following season.
The Blues finished second, nine points adrift of Manchester United, in the title race, after exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup and Ancelotti fell victim to his earlier success.
Chelsea finished empty handed for the first time in three years and a club statement read: “This season’s performances have fallen short of expectations and the club feels the time is right to make this change ahead of next season’s preparations.”
Loyalty to managers was never one of Abramovich’s characteristics.
The Russian billionaire ended Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge four months after he had delivered back-to-back trophies.
Both of Ancelotti’s predecessors, Avram Grant and Felipe Scolari, and the man who succeeded him, Andre Villas-Boas, were all dispensed with after eight months.
Ancelotti, who had twice won the Champions League with former club AC Milan before arriving at Stamford Bridge, went on to manage Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton.
He returned to Real Madrid in 2021 and, after leading them to their domestic crown this season, became the first manager to win the title in each of Europe’s top five leagues – Serie A, Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and LaLiga.
