Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has revealed the ‘severe punishment’ he faced after arriving late for a Champions League clash against Barcelona early in his career at Stamford Bridge.
During a recent visit to Cobham Arena, Chelsea’s training ground, Mikel shared the story on The Obi One Podcast. The former Super Eagles captain explained that his lateness led to a significant consequence: he didn’t play a single game for Chelsea for three months.
“I was late when I first joined the club,” Mikel recounted. “It happened before a Champions League match against Barcelona. The night before, we were training at Stamford Bridge, and I was at home, just relaxing. I wasn’t sleeping; I just misjudged the timing.
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“When I finally arrived, the reaction was immediate and severe. The players didn’t say a word to me, but I was out of the team for two to three months. I didn’t play a single game during that time. The punishment was tough, and I was never late again.”
Obi Mikel went on to play 372 games for Chelsea across all competitions, scoring six goals.