2001–02 Chelsea F.C. season

The 2001–02 campaign was the first full season under Italian manager Claudio Ranieri, who had replaced his compatriot Gianluca Vialli after five matches of the previous season.[1] He made his first signing in the shape of French defender William Gallas for £6.2 million from Marseille, before signing Frank Lampard from West Ham United for £11 million on 14 June.[2] Lampard went on to become Chelsea's highest goal scorer of all time. The signing of Lampard allowed Chelsea to part company with their captain Dennis Wise, who ended his successful 12-season spell at the club by joining Leicester City for £1.6 million.[3] The third and final signing of the window was of French midfielder and 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit, who joined from Barcelona for £7.5 million on 26 June.[4]

Chelsea players encountered controversy in the second round of the UEFA Cup, when they were due to face Hapoel Tel Aviv on 18 October 2001. Six Chelsea first-team players—Albert Ferrer, William Gallas, Emmanuel Petit, Graeme Le Saux, Eiður Guðjohnsen and captain Marcel Desailly—did not fly to Israel due to fears since the September 11 attacks in the previous month and recent Palestinian insurgency. Chelsea lost the match 2–0, with Desailly's replacement, the Ugandan teenager Joel Kitamirike, making mistakes in his only match for Chelsea.[5] The six players returned for the second leg at Stamford Bridge, but a 1–1 draw saw Chelsea eliminated by an underdog for the second consecutive season.[6]

The club came sixth in the Premier League, as they had done the previous season, and reached their third FA Cup final in six seasons. In the final against London rivals and Premier League champions Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 4 May 2002, Chelsea lost 2–0 with both goals in the last twenty minutes of the match.[7] Chelsea were led out into the final by Roberto Di Matteo, who had announced his retirement earlier in the season due to a long-term absence with a triple leg fracture.[8]

Squad at end of season[9]

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 3 DF Celestine Babayaro 6 DF Marcel Desailly 8 MF Frank Lampard 9 FW Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 10 MF Slaviša Jokanović 11 MF Boudewijn Zenden 12 FW Mario Stanić 13 DF William Gallas 14 DF Graeme Le Saux 15 DF Mario Melchiot 17 MF Emmanuel Petit 18 MF Albert Ferrer 20 MF Jody Morris

No. Position Player 22 FW Eiður Guðjohnsen 23 GK Carlo Cudicini 24 MF Samuele Dalla Bona 25 FW Gianfranco Zola 26 DF John Terry 28 FW Leon Knight 29 DF Robert Huth 30 FW Jesper Grønkjær 31 GK Mark Bosnich 32 FW Mikael Forssell 33 DF Joel Kitamirike 36 MF Joe Keenan 39 FW Carlton Cole

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 16 MF Roberto Di Matteo (retired) 18 MF Gabriele Ambrosetti (on loan to Piacenza)

No. Position Player 34 DF Jon Harley (to Fulham)

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 7 DF Winston Bogarde 19 DF Valerio Di Cesare 27 FW Rati Aleksidze 34 DF Pat Baldwin 35 GK Rhys Evans 37 DF Danny Slatter 38 DF Scott Cousins GK Lenny Pidgeley

No. Position Player DF Sam Tillen DF Warren Cummings DF Danny Hollands MF Rob Wolleaston MF Mbark Boussoufa MF Ryan Stevenson FW Sebastian Kneißl

The team kit was produced by Umbro and the shirt sponsor was Emirates Airline and bore the "Fly Emirates" logo. Chelsea's home kit was all blue with a white trimmed collar. Their new away kit was all white with blue socks. The club's third kit for this season was orange with blue shorts and accents.

• Chelsea FC Official Website
• Chelsea FC on Soccerbase
• Chelsea FC on BBC