5 players who tormented Chelsea over the years
Chelsea are one of the most successful English clubs of all time, and have an impressive 30 trophies in their cabinet. The Blues are also one of the premier teams in Europe, winning all three major UEFA club competitions twice in the last ten years. This is notably a record they share with no other club.
Chelsea have been managed by an impressive cast of managers as well, with the club employing the likes of Jose Mourinho and Thomas Tuchel. This means the Blues are more likely to inflict a beating than suffer one at any given time. They have also maintained a steady stream of world-class talent, especially since their acquisition by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
However, that has not stopped Chelsea suffering against a few players. These world-class stars who dominated the Blues performed at the highest level of the game, showcasing sublime talent nearly every game they played Chelsea.
Without further ado, here is a look at five such players who tormented Chelsea over the years:
Honourable mentions
Some players have performed brilliantly against the Blues, but they haven't had enough meetings to do so consistently. Robert Lewandowski is one such star, having scored three goals and assisted four against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League in 2020. However, he has not faced them outside those two games.
Other players, like Ron Davies and Denis Law, played against Chelsea before Roman Abramovich took over the club. While Chelsea were reasonably successful in the 90s, they have had the most success in their history across the last two decades.
Players who have wreaked havoc on the club since the early 2000s will be the main focus of this list. That means players like Gary Bannister - who has managed nine goals in seven games - won't make the list.
#5 Louis Saha | Premier League legend
The former Premier League journeyman spent the bulk of his career playing for different clubs in England. That includes Newcastle United, Fulham, Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, it didn't really matter where Louis Saha went. He consistently managed to score against Chelsea. His ten goals against the Blues are the most he has scored against any club.
#OnThisDay in 200, two Louis Saha goals in a 2-1 Everton win against Chelsea
#efc https://t.co/1poaAwTNSA
Perhaps Saha's win-loss record against the Blues is very poor; he has managed just two wins against them in 22 games. However, his consistent goalscoring often shone despite his losses against Chelsea. The star was unlucky against the Blues, unable to beat them in knockout games despite managing three goals in six matches.
#4 Thierry Henry | Arsenal legend
There aren't many players with a more successful record against Chelsea than Thierry Henry.
The former French international played for Arsenal during the club's golden years, and Chelsea felt the brunt of the player's ruthlessness in front of goal. In 20 games against the Blues, he lost just four times, while Chelsea lost nine times.
🏻Just watching Thierry Henry goals ⚽️
What a player , I hated playing against him. 👏🏻
Any young strikers out there please watch his goals ⚽️ https://t.co/LJm6Izjrib
Henry's goalscoring record against the Blues was also solid, with the legendary striker garnering ten goals in 20 clashes against Chelsea.
Amazingly, his first game against Chelsea was in 1999, but the star lost against the Blues for the first time only in 2005. He also has a clean record against the Blues in the FA Cup, never losing a game against them.