The status quo could change at any moment should Roman Abramovich decide that the conditions are right for him to embark upon one of the most expensive stadium projects that English football has seen since the Edwardian boom in new grounds, more than a century ago.

The demolition of Stamford Bridge, to be replaced by a new 60,000-capacity super-stadium, was put indefinitely on hold in May last year and there has been no indication since then that the “unfavourable investment climate” cited by the club at the time has changed. Chiefly, the delay is based on the refusal 18 months ago of the UK government to grant Chelsea’s Russian owner his tier-1 visa, as well as concerns about the cost and availability of necessary building expertise post-Brexit.

Sunday is another milestone in the interminable process of rebuilding Chelsea’s 114-year-old home into Europe’s most modern inner-city football stadium. It is four months until the expiration of the club’s planning permission for this £1 billion project. By March 31 next year the club had agreed to have begun the demolition of all buildings on the site around the stadium, including the two hotels that stand to the south-east of the stadium, as well as the health club at the back of the Matthew Harding stand.