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West London, particularly Chelsea, is a well-known hotspot for celebrity sightings. Stamford Bridge, the home ground of the Blues, often hosts some of the world's most famous faces.
Among the club's fans are Steve McQueen, Matt Damon, and Timothee Chalamet, while WWE superstar John Cena has also been seen supporting the Blues from the stands. However, it was pop icon Madonna's presence during Liverpool's visit that turned heads.
But perhaps it shouldn't have. The Queen of Pop is no stranger to SW6 and was spotted in the stands several times last season, as well as during Saturday evening's exhilarating win.
The 67-year-old was present for Chelsea's Conference League match against Legia Warsaw in April, when Enzo Maresca's team drew the smallest crowd of the season as they succumbed to their Polish opponents. She was also there when Chelsea triumphed over Brighton 4-2 in September 2024.
On both occasions, Madonna was accompanied by Akeem Morris. Morris, her partner, is a former forward for NY Renegades FC, a team that competes in the United Premier Soccer League in the United States.
Madonna's connection to the Blues seems to have originated with Guy Ritchie. The pop star was married to the film director, who is a Chelsea supporter, from 2000 to 2008.
Chelsea enjoyed an era of remarkable triumph under Jose Mourinho during that time, securing consecutive Premier League crowns in 2004/05 and 2005/06, before adding an FA Cup triumph in 2006/07.
Madonna's ties to the club might now stem from another longstanding colleague who has taken on a prominent position at Chelsea following the club's 2022 takeover.
Barbara Charone, co-founder of MBC PR and a close friend of Madonna for more than four decades, is believed to have been instrumental in the pop icon's ascent to stardom. Charone currently sits on Chelsea's board.
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This American music industry pioneer has been watching matches since the 1980s and was named as a director of Chelsea Football Club and a trustee of the Chelsea Foundation shortly after Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital purchased the Blues.
"A lot of people talked about putting fans on the board, but no one really did it, and they did it," Charone told the BBC.
"I met Jonathan Goldstein, then I met Todd Boehly and the Clearlake guys, and obviously I never ever imagined that would happen - that I would be involved with Chelsea - so now I'm really excited."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
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