I noticed a very unusual occurrence during my customary read of the Evening Standard on my way home from City Hall last Friday evening; they ran with the same story on both the front and back pages.
It is pretty rare for one story to dominate both the front and back pages with even more pages inside. What made this occurrence even more eye catching was the fact that only the Evening Standard led with the story which did not feature anywhere else. The story: the huge investment Abramovich has ploughed into Chelsea FC.
Because of my own football loyalties l am not someone who would ordinarily be sympathetic to Chelsea FC, particularly after their mid-week game at Stamford Bridge. However, the prominence afforded to this story by the ES may suggest that there is more to it then meets the eye. Could it be that the owner of the ES, Alexander Lebedev and Abramovich have had a recent run-in? They do after all have a lot in common; both Russian billionaires who made their fortunes at much the same time in Moscow.
This may just be an extension of a personal battle between what are undoubtedly two business giants, both used to getting their own way. If so, then Chelsea’s failing attempts to secure the dream Championship title was a great opportunity for Lebedev to rub salt into a sore that Abramovich is clearly developing.
I think this may be one to watch and see if it develops any further, but, in my mind at least, the over spun nature of the story with a front and back page assault of Chelsea FC can only be attributed to some sort of Russian connection.