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. Position Player
1 GK Ed de Goey
2 DF Dan Petrescu
3 DF Celestine Babayaro
5 DF Frank Leboeuf
6 DF Marcel Desailly
7 MF Bjarne Goldbæk
8 MF Gustavo Poyet
9 FW Gianluca Vialli
10 FW Pierluigi Casiraghi
11 MF Dennis Wise (captain)
12 DF Michael Duberry
13 GK Kevin Hitchcock
14 DF Graeme Le Saux
15 MF Samuele Dalla Bona
16 MF Roberto Di Matteo
17 DF Albert Ferrer
No. Position Player
18 DF Andy Myers
19 FW Tore André Flo
20 DF Danny Slatter
21 DF Bernard Lambourde
22 FW Mark Nicholls
23 GK Dmitri Kharine
24 MF Eddie Newton
25 FW Gianfranco Zola
26 DF John Terry
27 DF Jon Harley
28 MF Jody Morris
29 DF Neil Clement
30 DF Luca Percassi
32 FW Mikael Forssell
34 MF 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. Position Player
4 DF Steve Clarke (retired)
7 MF Brian Laudrup (to Copenhagen)
No. Position Player
15 DF David Lee (to Bristol Rovers)
20 DF 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. Position Player
- GK Rhys Evans
- DF Darren Baxter
- DF Stephen Broad
- MF Samuele Dalla Bona
- MF Paul Hughes
- MF Courtney Pitt
No. Position Player
- MF Jay Richardson
- FW Steven Hampshire
- FW Sam Parkin
- FW Joe Sheerin
- FW 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 1Coventry City2–1ChelseaCoventry
Huckerby  10'
Dublin  16'
Poyet  37' Stadium: Highfield Road
22 August 1998 2Chelsea1–1Newcastle UnitedFulham, London
Babayaro  23' A. Andersson  43' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
9 September 1998 3Chelsea0–0ArsenalFulham, London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
12 September 1998 4Chelsea2–1Nottingham ForestFulham, London
Zola  1'
Poyet  35'
Darcheville  69' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 September 1998 5Blackburn Rovers3–4ChelseaBlackburn, 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 6Chelsea2–0MiddlesbroughFulham, London
Pallister  46' (o.g.)
Zola  81'
Report Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Referee: Mike Reed
4 October 1998 7Liverpool1–1ChelseaLiverpool, Merseyside
Redknapp  83' Casiraghi  10' Stadium: Anfield
17 October 1998 8Chelsea2–1Charlton AthleticFulham, London
Leboeuf  18' (pen.)
Poyet  88'
Youds  58' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
25 October 1998 9Leeds United0–0ChelseaLeeds, West Yorkshire
Stadium: Elland Road
8 November 1998 10West Ham United1–1ChelseaNewham, London
Ruddock  4' Babayaro  76' Stadium: Boleyn Ground
14 November 1998 11Chelsea3–0WimbledonFulham, London
Zola  32'
Poyet  55'
Petrescu  70'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 November 1998 12Leicester City2–4ChelseaLeicester, Leicestershire
Izzet  40'
Guppy  60'
Zola  28', 90'
Poyet  39'
Flo  56'
Stadium: Filbert Street
28 November 1998 13Chelsea1–1Sheffield WednesdayFulham, London
Zola  27' Booth  67' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
9 December 1998 15Chelsea2–1Aston VillaFulham, London
Zola  30'
Flo  90'
Hendrie  32' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
12 December 1998 16Derby County2–2ChelseaDerby, Derbyshire
Carbonari  26'
Sturridge  90'
Flo  55'
Poyet  59'
Stadium: Pride Park Stadium
19 December 1998 18Chelsea2–0Tottenham HotspurFulham, London
Poyet  80'
Flo  90'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
26 December 1998 19Southampton0–2ChelseaSouthampton, Hampshire
Flo  20'
Poyet  48'
Stadium: The Dell
9 January 1999 21Newcastle United0–1ChelseaNewcastle-upon-Tyne
Petrescu  39' Stadium: St. James' Park
16 January 1999 22Chelsea2–1Coventry CityFulham, London
Leboeuf  45'
Di Matteo  90'
Huckerby  9' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
31 January 1999 23Arsenal1–0ChelseaIslington, London
Bergkamp  32' Stadium: Highbury
6 February 1999 24Chelsea1–0SouthamptonFulham, London
Zola  11' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
17 February 1999 25Chelsea1–1Blackburn RoversFulham, London
Morris  44' Ward  84' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
20 February 1999 26Nottingham Forest1–3ChelseaNottingham
van Hooijdonk  39' Forssell  6'
Goldbæk  25, 83'
Stadium: City Ground
27 February 1999 27Chelsea2–1LiverpoolFulham, London
Leboeuf  7' (pen.)
Goldbæk  38'
Report Owen  77' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Referee: Paul Durkin
13 March 1999 28Chelsea0–1West Ham UnitedFulham, London
Kitson  75' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
21 March 1999 29Aston Villa0–3ChelseaBirmingham, West Midlands
Flo  59', 89'
Goldbæk  86'
Stadium: Villa Park
3 April 1999 30Charlton Athletic0–1ChelseaGreenwich, London
Di Matteo  11' Stadium: The Valley
11 April 1999 31Wimbledon1–2ChelseaCroydon, London
Gayle  90' Flo  24'
Poyet  53'
Stadium: Selhurst Park
18 April 1999 33Chelsea2–2Leicester CityFulham, London
Zola  30'
Elliott  69' (o.g.)
Duberry  82' (o.g.)
Guppy  88'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
25 April 1999 34Sheffield Wednesday0–0ChelseaSheffield
Stadium: Hillsborough
1 May 1999 35Chelsea3–1EvertonFulham, London
Zola  25', 81'
Petrescu  60'
Jeffers  69' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
5 May 1999 36Chelsea1–0Leeds UnitedFulham, London
Poyet  68' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
10 May 1999 37Tottenham Hotspur2–2ChelseaHaringey, London
Iversen  38'
Ginola  64'
Poyet  4'
Goldbæk  73'
Stadium: White Hart Lane
16 May 1999 38Chelsea2–1Derby CountyFulham, 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

  • Gustavo Poyet 1

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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