Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has launched a scathing attack on "cowardly" Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the UK Government has been put under pressure to freeze the assets of numerous Russian oligarchs, including Abramovich.
The 55-year-old announced on Saturday night - less than 24 hours before Chelsea were due to take on Liverpool in the EFL Cup final - that he was handing over his "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to the club's charitable foundation.
Abramovich is not understood to have put Chelsea up for sale, but Neville has claimed that the Russian's statement was simply an effort to distance himself from the spotlight as he continues to run the club.
"I thought it was to be fair a cowardly approach to sort of throw a hospital pass to good people on the charitable and foundation board when it's quite clear he runs the club with Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director] and [technical and performance adviser] Petr Cech on the football side," Neville told Sky Sports News.
"If he wanted to make a statement of any note it would of been whether he supports the war at Ukraine or he actually doesn't support the war at Ukraine."
Chelsea have collected 19 major honours since Abramovich - whom is reported to enjoy positive relations with Vladimir Putin - arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2003.
Ben Knapton
