True Blues — Chelsea FC
ΕΛ

Season: 2009–10

Premier League

🏆🏆🎖️
  • Premier League champions
  • FA Cup
  • Charity/Community Shield

League

Carlo Ancelotti’s first season brought Chelsea’s first league and FA Cup Double — and a cascade of goals.

Division
Premier League (Tier 1)
Manager
Carlo Ancelotti
Top scorer (league)
Didier Drogba (29)
Top scorer (all comps)
Didier Drogba (37)
Avg. league attendance
41,423

Cups & Europe

FA Cup
Winners
League Cup
Quarter-finals
Europe
European Cup / Champions League: Round of 16
Other
Charity/Community Shield: Winners

Notes

Carlo Ancelotti’s first season brought Chelsea’s first league and FA Cup Double — and a cascade of goals. Announced as manager on 1 June 2009, with his contract starting on 1 July, the Italian guided the Blues to the Premier League title with 86 points, one ahead of Manchester United’s 85. The record was 27 wins, five draws and six defeats, with 103 goals scored and 32 conceded: a goal difference of +71. At the Bridge Chelsea went 17–1–1 (68–14); away, 10–4–5 (35–18). The 103 goals set a Premier League record at the time. The title race went to the final day, but Chelsea’s finish was anything but tentative. There were seven goals against Sunderland (7–2), Aston Villa (7–1, with four from Lampard) and Stoke (7–0, with a Kalou hat-trick). Joe Cole and Drogba scored in the crucial 2–1 win at Old Trafford on 3 April. Even a 2–1 defeat at Tottenham could not derail the run-in: Chelsea won the final three league games 7–0, 2–0 at Liverpool and 8–0 against Wigan on 9 May. Drogba’s final-day hat-trick secured the Golden Boot with 29 league goals. He finished with 37 in all competitions: 29 league, three FA Cup, two League Cup and three Champions League goals. Lampard’s remarkable contribution was 22 league goals and 27 overall; Malouda scored 12/15 and Anelka 11/15. The FA Cup was retained with six wins: Watford 5–0, Preston 2–0, Cardiff 4–1, Stoke 2–0, Aston Villa 3–0 in the Wembley semi-final on 10 April, then Portsmouth 1–0 in the final on 15 May. Against Avram Grant’s side, Chelsea hit the woodwork five times in the first half before Čech saved Kevin-Prince Boateng’s penalty. Drogba’s free-kick in the 59th minute supplied the winner; Lampard later put a penalty wide. The club’s sixth FA Cup completed the Double, a week after the league celebration. Ancelotti’s competitive debut had already brought silverware: the Community Shield at Wembley on 9 August, 2–2 against Manchester United through Carvalho and Lampard, then a 4–1 shoot-out victory with Čech saving twice. The League Cup ended in the quarter-finals at Blackburn on 2 December: after QPR 1–0 and Bolton 4–0, Chelsea drew 3–3 after extra time, Ferreira equalising at the death, but lost 3–4 on penalties. In Europe, an unbeaten Group D campaign brought first place ahead of Porto, Atlético Madrid and APOEL. José Mourinho’s Inter ended the Champions League run in the last 16, winning 2–1 in Milan on 24 February and 1–0 at the Bridge on 16 March, 3–1 on aggregate. Europe would have to wait; at home, this was a season for the history books. Home league crowds averaged 41,423, with a high of 41,836 against Manchester United and a low of 40,137 against Portsmouth.

Kits

Home
Away
Third

Double-winning season.

Illustration from hex colours (not official kit photography).

On this day (related years)

All On this day →

History

Eras, trophies, and great matches in the History section.

Explore history →

Sources

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