Branislav Ivanovic transfers to Zenit St. Petersburg as one of Chelsea’s most decorated and well-regarded players. As a small send-off we take a look at the successful time he enjoyed in England.
Take your mind back to May 2013. Chelsea are facing Benfica in Amsterdam, in a dead-locked Europa League final with extra time looming. One final chance to be a hero falls to Branislav Ivanovic. He rises highest to meet a Juan Mata corner in the 93rd minute. His effort loops into the back of the net, and Chelsea win the Europa League.
Taking the Europa League may not have been as wild or satisfying as the Champions League triumph the year prior. But it was another example of just how successful this Chelsea side were. Whatever the competition, whatever the challenge, this squad were ready to compete.
The Europa League symbolized that era in Chelsea history, one that had Branislav Ivanovic always at the core.
His winning goal in the final somewhat made up for his absence from Munich in 2012. He was suspended for the Champions League final due to yellow cards. Against Benfica, he finally had his moment to make a difference in a European final.
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Ivanovic first began to impress when he started in a tense and highly-anticipated quarter-final clash with rivals Liverpool in 2009. He headed in two corners to lead Chelsea to a 3-1 victory at Anfield.
His performances in the last few seasons should not detract from the legacy he leaves. Ivanovic played a key part in two Premier League title wins, three FA Cup victories, a League Cup win and, as already mentioned, triumphs in the Champions League and Europa League. He will mostly be remembered for his tendency to pop up with a goal every now and then, a rare feat for a defender.
Ivanovic scored six goals during the title-winning season of 2014-15. The most crucial came in a 2-1 victory at Villa Park late in the season. His winning goal showed the scoring threat he had become, even if his defensive flaws were becoming just as obvious.
Teams often used his lack of pace and clumsy defending on the right side as an attack point. Average players such as Jefferson Montero of Swansea would run rings around Ivanovic as fans quickly lost patience with the continuous mistakes.
Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal earlier this season and the subsequent change of formation sent Ivanovic to the fringes of the first-team. He has made sporadic appearances off the bench, usually when Antonio Conte has bunkered down to see out a one-goal lead.
His heading ability and toughness always made him a manager’s favourite. But in a Premier League that is ever-focused on pace and speed, the 32-year-old was always going to find it tough to fit in.
His defensive shortcomings quickly outweighed his occasional offensive contributions. It was only a matter of time before he lost his starting position. He kept costly acquisitions Filipe Luis and Baba Rahman on the bench and limit their stay at Stamford Bridge. But Marcos Alonso, David Luiz and Victor Moses made Ivanovic surplus to requirements.
In the 4-0 win over Brentford in the FA Cup, he scored a goal and an assist in a fitting final showing. Ivanovic may have split and divided fans’ opinions but there’s no arguing the part he played during the most successful period in Chelsea history.