Abramovich was not seen at Wembley as Chelsea beat United 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Eden Hazard. Reports in Russia said he was having problems with his visa application.

And on Sunday, the FT dropped the bombshell news that Abramovich’s investor visa has not been renewed at present. The paper said:

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The Kremlin-connected, London-based Mr Abramovich — who, with a net worth of £9.3bn, is Britain’s 13th-richest man according to the Sunday Times — has returned to Russia after his investor visa ran out, according to two people close to him. UK authorities have yet to renew Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s visa after it expired last month, three people close to the billionaire have told the FT, as geopolitical tensions rise between Moscow and the west.

Abramovich brought Chelsea in July 2003 but has never obtained a residency visa in the UK.

His money has bankrolled a golden era in Chelsea's history with five league titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Europa League and Champions League.

Relations between the United Kingdom and Russian have been difficult since the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury on March 4.

The former spy was released from hospital at the end of last week.

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