British journalist Matthew Syed has hit out at Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by saying that the Russian “has exerted a corrosive influence on the game.”

In the discussion on Sky Sports News, Times reporter Syed doesn’t hold back as he criticizes Abramovich’s decade in charge of the club. He argues that Abramovich bought Chelsea to protect himself from “being got at” by the Russian authorities. The reporter also claims that Abramovich and the Abu Dhabi Group didn’t buy British football clubs (Chelsea and Manchester City respectively) to make profits, but that they’re exploiting them for their own political gain.

Watch the absorbing discussion below, and feel free to share your feedback in the comments below on whether you believe Syed is spot on, or if he goes overboard.