Who thought that oil and football go together (aside from going to the gas pump to drive to a game)? The two are very much linked in the case of Chelsea, whose owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, is losing a fortune as oil prices are less than half what they were a year ago. While Abramovich has plenty for a rainy day, he lost $3 billion this year, although his status as a billionaire is still secure, according to Business Insider.
This might come to a head when there is talk of Chelsea perhaps buying Argentinean mega star Lionel Messi from Barcelona, where he is reportedly unhappy. Purchasing Messi would cost around $300 million, and while Abramovich has the money, it is true his finances have been hurting. However, Abramovich has been known to stand behind and fund Chelsea even when it is operating at a loss. In 2013-14, Chelsea had a loss of $78 million, but Abramovich padded the nest with $70 million from his own fortune. However, that was last year, when oil prices were high and times were good. Who knows if Abramovich may decide to tighten his belt in this case.
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The point might be moot, because as unhappy as Messi is with the club where he has played since his youth, it is unlikely that Barcelona will agree to part with him. In fact, SportsKeeda says, “It will be a cold day in hell before the Catalan Giants would consider selling one of the greatest players the world has ever seen–one who is regarded entirely as one of their own.”
