If Cup defeat to Palace ends Abramovich era, what will he leave behind at Chelsea?

As the takeover of the club goes on, Chelsea exist in a curious netherworld, both Roman Abramovich’s club and not. Whatever promises the shortlist of prospective new owners may make now, nobody can be sure what sort of future Chelsea are facing – although fans can be relatively certain whoever comes in will not be pumping in the sort of money Abramovich did.

The dream of a third Champions League came to an end on Tuesday, but the lesser prize of the FA Cup remains in reach. Should Chelsea lose to Crystal Palace in Sunday’s semi-final, though, their season will in effect be over. There will be no glorious farewell to the oligarch – or, perhaps more appositely, to the good times he brought to Stamford Bridge. With nothing left to play for, there will have to be acceptance and then perhaps some idea of the future may begin to emerge. Reality will begin to bite.

The Abramovich era began in August 2003 with a 2-0 Champions League qualifying playoff win away to MSK Zilina in the mountains of northern Slovakia. A precise endpoint is harder to locate. Symbolically, perhaps, the end came with the 2-1 win over Palmeiras in the Club World Cup final in Abu Dhabi. It completed the set of possible trophies and that it was won in the United Arab Emirates, whose interest in football only became apparent in the era heralded by Abramovich, felt highly appropriate.

The last match before Abramovich offered to hand the club over to its trustees was the 2-0 home Champions League win over Lille, and the last game before sanctions were imposed a 4-0 Premier League win at Burnley. The last game before a new owner takes charge will almost certainly be a Premier League fixture against Watford at Stamford Bridge. The FA Cup final, a week earlier,