Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich loves football, says the club's former captain Marcel Desailly.

Desailly told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek: "I had the possibility to be close to him because I was Chelsea captain during the year he arrived.

"After every game he would ask if there was a problem, if we were happy. You can see the guy is passionate and he loves football.

"Football is his reason for life. He crosses Europe and the world to watch a football match.

"He loves the game, and he wants the crowd to be entertained and enjoy their football, and maybe that is why there is now a change at Chelsea.

"Mourinho never went to clash with Abramovich. I know he was annoyed by the pressure from the press these past days and weeks.

"Maybe he reacted for the first time on a question from Abramovich and maybe Abramovich became annoyed, so they made the decision to separate and find another solution."