1998–99 Chelsea F.C. season

The 1998–99 season was Chelsea F.C.'s 85th competitive season, seventh consecutive season in the Premier League and 93rd year as a club.

Chelsea
1998–99 season
ChairmanKen Bates
ManagerGianluca Vialli
FA Premier League3rd
FA CupQuarter-finals
League CupQuarter-finals
UEFA Super CupWinners
UEFA Cup Winners' CupSemi-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Gianfranco Zola (13)

All:
Gianfranco Zola (15)
Highest home attendance35,016 (vs. Derby County, 16 May 1999)
Lowest home attendance17,714 (vs. Helsingborgs IF, 17 September 1998)
Average home league attendance34,754

Season summary

After a solid fourth-place finish coupled with European and League Cup success the previous season, Chelsea really felt that they could challenge for the title this season. Chelsea made more big name signings, including French World Cup winning defender Marcel Desailly from A.C. Milan, Spanish international full-back Albert Ferrer from Barcelona and, in a club-record £5.4 million move, Italian international striker Pierluigi Casiraghi from Lazio. Casiraghi's season and career was cut short by a knee injury, but his compatriot Gianfranco Zola had arguably the best season of his career, leading Chelsea to a serious title challenge, scoring 15 goals in all competitions and setting up many other goals for his teammates.

Ultimately, the European Super Cup, won by beating Europeans champions Real Madrid, was the only trophy that Chelsea had to show for their excellence. Their defence of the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup ended in the semi-finals, while their title challenge was ended in early May when they just couldn't get the better of Manchester United or Arsenal. Nonetheless, a final third-place finish booked them their first ever UEFA Champions League campaign and was another triumph for their excellent young manager Gianluca Vialli, who, at 35, announced his retirement as a player to concentrate on his managerial duties.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Manchester United (C) 38 22 13 3 80 37 +43 79 Qualification for the Champions League first group stage
2 Arsenal 38 22 12 4 59 17 +42 78
3 Chelsea 38 20 15 3 57 30 +27 75 Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
4 Leeds United 38 18 13 7 62 34 +28 67 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
5 West Ham United 38 16 9 13 46 53 7 57 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion.
Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
38 20 15 3 57 30  +27 75 12 6 1 29 13  +16 8 9 2 28 17  +11
Results by round
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHHHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHHAAAAHAHHAH
ResultLDDWWWDWDDWWDDWDDWWDWWLWDWWLWWWDDDWWDW
Position1817181511764654446333112112222233333233333
Source: 11v11.com: 1998-99 Chelsea results
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Squad

[1][2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  NED Ed de Goey
2 DF  ROU Dan Petrescu
3 DF  NGA Celestine Babayaro
5 DF  FRA Frank Leboeuf
6 DF  FRA Marcel Desailly
7 MF  DEN Bjarne Goldbæk
8 MF  URU Gustavo Poyet
9 FW  ITA Gianluca Vialli
10 FW  ITA Pierluigi Casiraghi
11 MF  ENG Dennis Wise (captain)
12 DF  ENG Michael Duberry
13 GK  ENG Kevin Hitchcock
14 DF  ENG Graeme Le Saux
15 MF  ITA Samuele Dalla Bona
16 MF  ITA Roberto Di Matteo
17 DF  ESP Albert Ferrer
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF  ENG Andy Myers
19 FW  NOR Tore André Flo
20 DF  WAL Danny Slatter
21 DF  FRA Bernard Lambourde
22 FW  ENG Mark Nicholls
23 GK  RUS Dmitri Kharine
24 MF  ENG Eddie Newton
25 FW  ITA Gianfranco Zola
26 DF  ENG John Terry
27 DF  ENG Jon Harley
28 MF  ENG Jody Morris
29 DF  ENG Neil Clement
30 DF  ITA Luca Percassi
32 FW  FIN Mikael Forssell
34 MF  ENG Nick Crittenden

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF  SCO Steve Clarke (retired)
7 MF  DEN Brian Laudrup (to Copenhagen)
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF  ENG David Lee (to Bristol Rovers)
20 DF  JAM Frank Sinclair[3] (to Leicester City)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
- GK  ENG Rhys Evans
- DF  ENG Darren Baxter
- DF  ENG Stephen Broad
- MF  ITA Samuele Dalla Bona
- MF  ENG Paul Hughes
- MF  ENG Courtney Pitt
No. Pos. Nation Player
- MF  ENG Jay Richardson
- FW  SCO Steven Hampshire
- FW  ENG Sam Parkin
- FW  ENG Joe Sheerin
- FW  ENG Rob Wolleaston

Statistics

No. Pos Nat Player TotalFA Premier LeagueCup Winners CupFA CupFootball League Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1 GK Ed de Goey 480350706000
2 DF Dan Petrescu 45323+93604030
3 DF Celestine Babayaro 43426+23714+1030
5 DF Frank Leboeuf 457334614121
6 DF Marcel Desailly 44130+10716000
7 MF Brian Laudrup 1015+20310000
7 MF Bjarne Goldbæk 31513+105002+4020
8 MF Gustavo Poyet 371321+711600032
9 FW Gianluca Vialli 201091513236
10 FW Pierluigi Casiraghi 141101400000
11 MF Dennis Wise 36221+10715120
12 DF Michael Duberry 32018+70202030
13 GK Kevin Hitchcock 302+10000000
14 DF Graeme Le Saux 45030+10806000
15 DF Andy Myers 4010100+2000
16 MF Roberto Di Matteo 45326+42704+211+10
17 DF Albert Ferrer 40030070200+10
19 FW Tore Andre Flo 441318+1210822+102+11
21 DF Bernard Lambourde 25112+5031202+10
22 FW Mark Nicholls 1600+90200+3020
23 GK Dmitri Kharine 5010100030
24 MF Eddie Newton 901+60100+1000
25 FW Gianfranco Zola 481535+213516100
26 DF John Terry 700+20102+100+10
27 DF Jon Harley 100000000+10
28 MF Jody Morris 27114+41205020
29 DF Neil Clement 200000000+20
30 DF Luca Percassi 100000000+10
32 FW Mikael Forssell 1334+61001+2200

Statistics taken from . Squad details and shirt numbers from and .

Results

Premier League

15 August 1998 1 Coventry City 2–1 Chelsea Coventry
Huckerby  10'
Dublin  16'
Poyet  37' Stadium: Highfield Road
9 September 1998 3 Chelsea 0–0 Arsenal Fulham, London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 September 1998 5 Blackburn Rovers 3–4 Chelsea Blackburn, Lancashire
Sutton  34', 79' (pen.)
Pérez  57'  66'
Report Zola  15'
Leboeuf  51' (pen.)
Le Saux  66'
Flo  82', 86'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Referee: Peter Jones
26 September 1998 6 Chelsea 2–0 Middlesbrough Fulham, London
Pallister  46' (o.g.)
Zola  81'
Report Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Referee: Mike Reed
4 October 1998 7 Liverpool 1–1 Chelsea Liverpool, Merseyside
Redknapp  83' Casiraghi  10' Stadium: Anfield
17 October 1998 8 Chelsea 2–1 Charlton Athletic Fulham, London
Leboeuf  18' (pen.)
Poyet  88'
Youds  58' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
8 November 1998 10 West Ham United 1–1 Chelsea Newham, London
Ruddock  4' Babayaro  76' Stadium: Boleyn Ground
14 November 1998 11 Chelsea 3–0 Wimbledon Fulham, London
Zola  32'
Poyet  55'
Petrescu  70'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 November 1998 12 Leicester City 2–4 Chelsea Leicester, Leicestershire
Izzet  40'
Guppy  60'
Zola  28', 90'
Poyet  39'
Flo  56'
Stadium: Filbert Street
5 December 1998 14 Everton 0–0 Chelsea Liverpool, Merseyside
Stadium: Goodison Park
9 December 1998 15 Chelsea 2–1 Aston Villa Fulham, London
Zola  30'
Flo  90'
Hendrie  32' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
12 December 1998 16 Derby County 2–2 Chelsea Derby, Derbyshire
Carbonari  26'
Sturridge  90'
Flo  55'
Poyet  59'
Stadium: Pride Park Stadium
19 December 1998 18 Chelsea 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur Fulham, London
Poyet  80'
Flo  90'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
26 December 1998 19 Southampton 0–2 Chelsea Southampton, Hampshire
Flo  20'
Poyet  48'
Stadium: The Dell
16 January 1999 22 Chelsea 2–1 Coventry City Fulham, London
Leboeuf  45'
Di Matteo  90'
Huckerby  9' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
31 January 1999 23 Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea Islington, London
Bergkamp  32' Stadium: Highbury
6 February 1999 24 Chelsea 1–0 Southampton Fulham, London
Zola  11' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
17 February 1999 25 Chelsea 1–1 Blackburn Rovers Fulham, London
Morris  44' Ward  84' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
27 February 1999 27 Chelsea 2–1 Liverpool Fulham, London
Leboeuf  7' (pen.)
Goldbæk  38'
Report Owen  77' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Referee: Paul Durkin
21 March 1999 29 Aston Villa 0–3 Chelsea Birmingham, West Midlands
Flo  59', 89'
Goldbæk  86'
Stadium: Villa Park
11 April 1999 31 Wimbledon 1–2 Chelsea Croydon, London
Gayle  90' Flo  24'
Poyet  53'
Stadium: Selhurst Park
18 April 1999 33 Chelsea 2–2 Leicester City Fulham, London
Zola  30'
Elliott  69' (o.g.)
Duberry  82' (o.g.)
Guppy  88'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
1 May 1999 35 Chelsea 3–1 Everton Fulham, London
Zola  25', 81'
Petrescu  60'
Jeffers  69' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
16 May 1999 38 Chelsea 2–1 Derby County Fulham, London
Babayaro  40'
Vialli  68'
Carbonari  88' Stadium: Stamford Bridge

Goal Scorers

UEFA Super Cup

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
28 August 1998 Real MadridN1-010,000Poyet

Goal Scorers

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 September 1998R1 HelsingborgH1-017,714Leboeuf
1 October 1998R1 HelsingborgA0-012,348
22 October 1998R2 CopenhagenH1-121,207Desailly
5 November 1998R2 CopenhagenA1-024,188Laudrup
4 March 1999QF VålerengaH3-034,177Babayaro, Zola, Wise
18 March 1999QF VålerengaA3-217,936Vialli, Lambourde, Flo
8 April 1999SF MallorcaH1-135,524Flo
22 April 1999SF MallorcaA0-118,848

Goal Scorers

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
28 October 1998R3Aston VillaH4-126,790Vialli (3), Flo
11 November 1998R4ArsenalA5-037,562Leboeuf, Vialli (2), Poyet (2)
1 December 1998QFWimbledonA1-219,286Vialli

Goal Scorers

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
2 January 1999R3Oldham AthleticA2-012,770Vialli (2)
25 January 1999R4Oxford UnitedA1-19,059Leboeuf (pen.)
3 February 1999R4 (R)Oxford UnitedH4-232,106Wise, Zola, Forssell (2)
13 February 1999R5Sheffield WednesdayA1-029,410Di Matteo
7 March 1999R6Manchester UnitedA0-054,587
10 March 1999R6 (R)Manchester UnitedH0-233,075

Goal scorers

References

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