Former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia posts message for Blues fans as 'football's most powerful woman' makes rare social media appearance

Former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has posted a message to fansShe has been ramping up her social media presence with a string of postsLISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! ‘I wouldn’t touch Nagelsmann with a barge pole!’ 

Former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has recorded a message for Chelsea fans in a rare Instagram appearance.

Once dubbed 'the most powerful woman in football', Granovskaia was director at Stamford Bridge from 2014 to 2022.

In recent weeks the Russian football administrator, a key figure in Roman Abramovich's reign, has been posting memories from her time at the club.

She is not typically an active figure on social media.

'I wanted to come on here real quick to say I wasn't really sure about the whole Instagram thing but I have been totally overwhelmed by the amount of messages, DMs, blue hearts, good memories that have been coming my way,' Granovskaia began.

Former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has posted a message for Chelsea fans online

She thanked Blues fans for their messages after a string of posts about memories at Stamford Bridge - as well as a trial involving football agent Saif Rubie

'I just wanted to say a huge thank you to every one of you.

'I cannot respond to every message but I am reading them all.

'I did not expect that and I am really, really grateful, so thank you.'

Her message comes weeks after a trial involving agent Saif Rubie, who was cleared in court of a charge of sending an electronic communication with the intenet to cause distress.

Granovskaia had testified in court that she felt 'physically threatened' when he demanded money he believed he was owed from the deal that saw Kurt Zouma Chelsea for West Ham. 

Rubie, who had demanded £300,000, was cleared after being charged with a single count of sending an electronic communication with the intent to cause distress.

The agent denied he had threatened to cause distress to Granovskaia and was subsequently found not guilty.

Zouma made the switch from Chelsea to West Ham for £29.2million in 2021, with a £4.1m severance payment to the defender included.

Granovskaia gave evidence about how she felt receiving an email sent to her by agent Rubie

Football agent Rubie (above) was cleared after being accused of breaching the Malicious Communications Act

Kurt Zouma's £29.1m move to West Ham from Chelsea in 2021 was at the centre of the trial

Rubie was alleged to have demanded payment for his role in Zouma's transfer to the Hammers

Granovskaia was a director at Chelsea between 2014 and 2022 and dubbed 'the most powerful woman in football'

Giving testimony in court, Granovskaia was asked by prosecutor Arizuna Asante how she felt upon receiving the email from Rubie.

She responded: 'Very uncomfortable would be an understatement. I felt physically threatened because of the language being used made it personal because he referred to the Kia [Joorabchian] incident.'

In his evidence before the jury, Rubie denied this and said he had only ever implied a legal threat, not a physical one.