Abramovich faces 20 million pound bill to axe Villas-Boas

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will have to pay up 20 million pound to axe under fire coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will have to pay up 20 million pound to axe under fire coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Villas-Boas still has two-and-half-years to run on his 150,000 pound-a-week deal.

It was only five months ago that Abramovich paid 13.3 million pounds in compensation to get the Portuguese.

That means the cost of his reign, if cut short, will be more than 33 million pounds, The Sun reports.

Villas-Boas, 34, thinks he is safe as he does not believe Abramovich will want to pay him off.

But he knows he is under huge pressure after Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool, a fourth defeat in 12 Premier League games. They are now 12 points behind leaders Manchester City.

Abramovich has already waved goodbye to six previous managers since taking control of Chelsea in 2003 and only stand-in boss Guus Hiddink ever reached the end of his contract.

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