| 1998–99 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Ken Bates | |||
| Manager | Gianluca Vialli | |||
| FA Premier League | 3rd | |||
| FA Cup | Quarter-finals | |||
| League Cup | Quarter-finals | |||
| UEFA Super Cup | Winners | |||
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | Semi-finals | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Gianfranco Zola (13) All: Gianfranco Zola (15) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 35,016 (vs. Derby County, 16 May 1999) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 17,714 (vs. Helsingborgs IF, 17 September 1998) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 34,754 | |||
|  | ||||
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.
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 | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
- Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | 
| 38 | 20 | 15 | 3 | 57 | 30 | +27 | 75 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 
Source: 1998-99 FA Premier League table
- Results by round
Squad
[1][2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Statistics
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | FA Premier League | Cup Winners Cup | FA Cup | Football League Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK |  NED | Ed de Goey | 48 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 2 | DF |  ROU | Dan Petrescu | 45 | 3 | 23+9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 
| 3 | DF |  NGA | Celestine Babayaro | 43 | 4 | 26+2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 
| 5 | DF |  FRA | Frank Leboeuf | 45 | 7 | 33 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 6 | DF |  FRA | Marcel Desailly | 44 | 1 | 30+1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 7 | MF |  DEN | Brian Laudrup | 10 | 1 | 5+2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 7 | MF |  DEN | Bjarne Goldbæk | 31 | 5 | 13+10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 
| 8 | MF |  URU | Gustavo Poyet | 37 | 13 | 21+7 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 
| 9 | FW |  ITA | Gianluca Vialli | 20 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 
| 10 | FW |  ITA | Pierluigi Casiraghi | 14 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 11 | MF |  ENG | Dennis Wise | 36 | 2 | 21+1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 
| 12 | DF |  ENG | Michael Duberry | 32 | 0 | 18+7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 
| 13 | GK |  ENG | Kevin Hitchcock | 3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 14 | DF |  ENG | Graeme Le Saux | 45 | 0 | 30+1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 15 | DF |  ENG | Andy Myers | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 16 | MF |  ITA | Roberto Di Matteo | 45 | 3 | 26+4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4+2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 
| 17 | DF |  ESP | Albert Ferrer | 40 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 19 | FW |  NOR | Tore Andre Flo | 44 | 13 | 18+12 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 2+1 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 | 
| 21 | DF |  FRA | Bernard Lambourde | 25 | 1 | 12+5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 
| 22 | FW |  ENG | Mark Nicholls | 16 | 0 | 0+9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 
| 23 | GK |  RUS | Dmitri Kharine | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 
| 24 | MF |  ENG | Eddie Newton | 9 | 0 | 1+6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| 25 | FW |  ITA | Gianfranco Zola | 48 | 15 | 35+2 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 
| 26 | DF |  ENG | John Terry | 7 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 27 | DF |  ENG | Jon Harley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 28 | MF |  ENG | Jody Morris | 27 | 1 | 14+4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 
| 29 | DF |  ENG | Neil Clement | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 
| 30 | DF |  ITA | Luca Percassi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 
| 32 | FW |  FIN | Mikael Forssell | 13 | 3 | 4+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 
Statistics taken from Archived 20 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Squad details and shirt numbers from Archived 3 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine and .
Results
Premier League
| 15 August 1998 1 | Coventry City | 2–1 | Chelsea | Coventry | 
| Huckerby  10' Dublin  16' | Poyet  37' | Stadium: Highfield Road | 
| 22 August 1998 2 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Newcastle United | Fulham, London | 
| Babayaro  23' | A. Andersson  43' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 9 September 1998 3 | Chelsea | 0–0 | Arsenal | Fulham, London | 
| Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 12 September 1998 4 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Nottingham Forest | Fulham, London | 
| Zola  1' Poyet  35' | Darcheville  69' | 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 | 
| 25 October 1998 9 | Leeds United | 0–0 | Chelsea | Leeds, West Yorkshire | 
| Stadium: Elland Road | 
| 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 | 
| 28 November 1998 13 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Fulham, London | 
| Zola  27' | Booth  67' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 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 | 
| 16 December 1998 17 | Manchester United | 1–1 | Chelsea | Trafford, Greater Manchester | 
| A. Cole  45' | Zola  83' | Stadium: Old Trafford | 
| 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 | 
| 29 December 1998 20 | Chelsea | 0–0 | Manchester United | Fulham, London | 
| Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 9 January 1999 21 | Newcastle United | 0–1 | Chelsea | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 
| Petrescu  39' | Stadium: St. James' Park | 
| 16 January 1999 22 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Coventry City | Fulham, London | 
| Leboeuf  45' Di Matteo  90' | Huckerby  9' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 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 | 
| 20 February 1999 26 | Nottingham Forest | 1–3 | Chelsea | Nottingham | 
| van Hooijdonk  39' | Forssell  6' Goldbæk  25, 83' | Stadium: City Ground | 
| 27 February 1999 27 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Liverpool | Fulham, London | 
| Leboeuf  7' (pen.) Goldbæk  38' | Report | Owen  77' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge Referee: Paul Durkin | 
| 13 March 1999 28 | Chelsea | 0–1 | West Ham United | Fulham, London | 
| Kitson  75' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 21 March 1999 29 | Aston Villa | 0–3 | Chelsea | Birmingham, West Midlands | 
| Flo  59', 89' Goldbæk  86' | Stadium: Villa Park | 
| 3 April 1999 30 | Charlton Athletic | 0–1 | Chelsea | Greenwich, London | 
| Di Matteo  11' | Stadium: The Valley | 
| 11 April 1999 31 | Wimbledon | 1–2 | Chelsea | Croydon, London | 
| Gayle  90' | Flo  24' Poyet  53' | Stadium: Selhurst Park | 
| 14 April 1999 32 | Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Chelsea | Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire | 
| Stadium: Riverside Stadium | 
| 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 | 
| 25 April 1999 34 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–0 | Chelsea | Sheffield | 
| Stadium: Hillsborough | 
| 1 May 1999 35 | Chelsea | 3–1 | Everton | Fulham, London | 
| Zola  25', 81' Petrescu  60' | Jeffers  69' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 5 May 1999 36 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Leeds United | Fulham, London | 
| Poyet  68' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
| 10 May 1999 37 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–2 | Chelsea | Haringey, London | 
| Iversen  38' Ginola  64' | Poyet  4' Goldbæk  73' | Stadium: White Hart Lane | 
| 16 May 1999 38 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Derby County | Fulham, London | 
| Babayaro  40' Vialli  68' | Carbonari  88' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge | 
Goalscorers
UEFA Super Cup
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 August 1998 |  Real Madrid | N | 1–0 | 10,000 | Poyet | 
Goalscorers
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 September 1998 | R1 |  Helsingborg | H | 1–0 | 17,714 | Leboeuf | 
| 1 October 1998 | R1 |  Helsingborg | A | 0–0 | 12,348 | |
| 22 October 1998 | R2 |  Copenhagen | H | 1–1 | 21,207 | Desailly | 
| 5 November 1998 | R2 |  Copenhagen | A | 1–0 | 24,188 | Laudrup | 
| 4 March 1999 | QF |  Vålerenga | H | 3–0 | 34,177 | Babayaro, Zola, Wise | 
| 18 March 1999 | QF |  Vålerenga | A | 3–2 | 17,936 | Vialli, Lambourde, Flo | 
| 8 April 1999 | SF |  Mallorca | H | 1–1 | 35,524 | Flo | 
| 22 April 1999 | SF |  Mallorca | A | 0–1 | 18,848 | 
Goalscorers
League Cup
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 October 1998 | R3 | Aston Villa | H | 4–1 | 26,790 | Vialli (3), Flo | 
| 11 November 1998 | R4 | Arsenal | A | 5–0 | 37,562 | Leboeuf, Vialli (2), Poyet (2) | 
| 1 December 1998 | QF | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 19,286 | Vialli | 
Goalscorers
FA Cup
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 January 1999 | R3 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–0 | 12,770 | Vialli (2) | 
| 25 January 1999 | R4 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | 9,059 | Leboeuf (pen.) | 
| 3 February 1999 | R4 (R) | Oxford United | H | 4–2 | 32,106 | Wise, Zola, Forssell (2) | 
| 13 February 1999 | R5 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–0 | 29,410 | Di Matteo | 
| 7 March 1999 | R6 | Manchester United | A | 0–0 | 54,587 | |
| 10 March 1999 | R6 (R) | Manchester United | H | 0–2 | 33,075 | 
Goalscorers
References
- ↑ "FootballSquads - Chelsea - 1998/99".
- ↑ "All Chelsea players: 1999".
- ↑ Sinclair was born in Lambeth, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally.

















