Branislav Ivanovic

Latest Player News

IVANOVIC: THIRD EYED - 10.05.2013
Much of the talk as Chelsea's league season draws to a close has been about the need to gain a top-four finish. The target within the camp has long been set higher...
IVANOVIC: GIVING MORE - 04.05.2013
Branislav Ivanovic insists there is no time to relax as the Blues face five games between now and 19 May which will define our season...
IVANOVIC: HEADS UP - 02.05.2013
Defensive figures played their part in last week's Europa League win in Basel, and Branislav Ivanovic believes they are ready to do it again if required.
KINGSTON TRIO LAUNCH KITS FOR KIDS - 28.03.2013
A very special launch took place today at our Kingston megastore as Demba Ba, Branislav Ivanovic and Marko Marin announced a new initiative to recycle football kits for underprivileged children around the world...
KINGSTON SIGNING SESSION WITH BLUES TRIO - 26.03.2013
Our Kingston Megastore will be hosting a signing session on Thursday 28 April, with three members of the first team squad popping down to meet supporters...
TRIO IN KINGSTON NEXT WEEK - 19.03.2013
Branislav Ivanovic, Marko Marin and Demba Ba will be at the Kingston Store for a signing session on Thursday 28 March...
BENITEZ: SET FOR STOKE - 12.01.2013
Rafael Benitez is hoping another impressive away showing will bring all three points at Stoke on Saturday afternoon.
IVANOVIC: PRAISING PETR - 30.12.2012
Branislav Ivanovic talks about his recent individual accolade and Petr Cech who is set to reach a milestone at Everton…
IVANOVIC ACCEPTS ACCOLADE - 26.12.2012
Branislav Ivanovic has been named Serbia's Player of the Year...
IVANOVIC: STILL BUILDING - 21.12.2012
A resurgent Aston Villa visit Stamford Bridge in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday, and Branislav Ivanovic is wary of the threat posed by in-form striker Christian Benteke...
IVANOVIC ON CHELSEA TV THIS WEEK - 19.12.2012
Branislav Ivanovic will be on Chelsea TV's Friday Night Live show this Friday, 21 December.
THE TWEET SPOT: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 17.12.2012
Branislav Ivanovic has told our followers of his pride in being nominated for Chelsea's Player of the Year award three times in recent seasons.
READY TO GO - 15.12.2012
The players completed their final training session ahead of tomorrow's FIFA Club World Cup final at the home of Yokohama F. Marinos earlier this evening here in Japan...
IVANOVIC: FINISHING THE JOB - 15.12.2012
Branislav Ivanovic believes our experience in competing in major finals could give us the edge when we attempt to become only the second English team to be crowned world champions...
FIVE BLUES NOMINATED FOR UEFA AWARD - 04.12.2012
The final nominations for UEFA.com's Team of the Year have been announced, and the Blues are well represented, with five of our players in the reckoning...
LAMPARD AND HAZARD NAMED ON FIFA SHORTLIST - 26.11.2012
The 15 midfielders shortlisted for the FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2012 have been announced, with two Chelsea players represented...
IVANOVIC: THE RIGHT APPROACH - 20.11.2012
Winning, rather than avoiding defeat, must be the aim against Juventus this evening, says Branislav Ivanovic...
IVANOVIC: LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE - 17.11.2012
Branislav Ivanovic recognises the importance of returning to winning ways against West Bromwich Albion this afternoon...
IVANOVIC: COUNTER THE COUNTER - 06.11.2012
Branislav Ivanovic hopes the new-look Chelsea can 'grow up as a team' during tomorrow night's Champions League rematch with Shakhtar Donetsk...
CHELSEA TV EXCLUSIVE: BUSY BRANISLAV - 03.11.2012
Branislav Ivanovic begins November's match action today at Swansea where he will either play right-back or centre-back having returned from a one-match ban...
IVANOVIC: TIME FOR FOCUS - 26.10.2012
Branislav Ivanovic feels we must head into Sunday's game against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in better shape than we did against Shakhtar on Tuesday...
IVANOVIC: TEST MATCHES - 08.10.2012
Like many of his colleagues, Branislav Ivanovic leaves Chelsea this week to play international fixtures, but he is already thinking hard about the games that await on his return...
NIGHT OF DRAWS FOR BLUES TRIO - 08.09.2012
Both Branislav Ivanovic and Petr Cech were involved in stalemates, while Victor Moses' Nigeria also had to settle for a draw...
IVANOVIC FREE TO PLAY AT WIGAN - 13.08.2012
Branislav Ivanovic will not be suspended for the beginning of our Barclays Premier League campaign, despite his red card in the Community Shield on Sunday.
IVANOVIC: READY TO FACE THE CROWD - 18.07.2012
With the opening tour game later this evening local time, Branislav Ivanovic has been speaking about reasons why Seattle suits this fixture...
IVANOVIC: KEEPING COOL WARMING UP - 06.07.2012
Professional footballers might well be the only people in England currently appreciating the dreadful midsummer weather...
MY FIRST DAY: PART THREE - 04.07.2012
The first day in any new workplace can often be a daunting one, but how does it feel when you join a top, Premier League football club?
LOOKING BACK: NO.2 - 15.06.2012
The Serbian defender enjoyed one of his most memorable seasons in a Chelsea shirt...
IVANOVIC WANTS TO END ON A HIGH - 11.05.2012
As he prepares for his final outing of the campaign, Branislav Ivanovic has paid tribute to the supporters that have stuck by the team through a testing year...
IVANOVIC APPEALS - 11.04.2012
Branislav Ivanovic has responded to the FA's charge of violent conduct and has appealed against it...
FA STATEMENT ON BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 10.04.2012
The Football Association has today (Tuesday) announced the following statement...
IVANOVIC: NET GAINS - 08.04.2012
By scoring the opener against Wigan on Saturday, Branislav Ivanovic took his goal total for the season to five, one behind the tally for last year which was his Chelsea best so far...
IVANOVIC: RAPID RESPONSE - 02.04.2012
No one could accuse Branislav Ivanovic of scoring unimportant goals and on Saturday he put his side back in front after a two-goal lead had been wiped out...
IVANOVIC: CRUCIAL CHARACTER - 15.03.2012
Last night was not the first time Branislav Ivanovic has emerged as a Champions League hero for Chelsea, but he insists it was a team effort that saw us through to the last eight...
IVANOVIC: ONLY A WIN WILL DO - 06.03.2012
Branislav Ivanovic has called for a show of strength as we begin life under Roberto Di Matteo at Birmingham City tonight.
INTERNATIONALS: VICTORY FOR IVANOVIC AND DAVID LUIZ - 28.02.2012
Branislav Ivanovic kicked-off this week's senior international involvement for Chelsea players with a win and a goal and there were victories and goals for other Blues...
IVANOVIC: TEAM TIME - 23.02.2012
With cruical matches imminent, Branislav Ivanovic has emphasised the vital importance of team work and togetherness in the weeks ahead...
IVANOVIC: SHOULD DO BETTER - 01.02.2012
Branislav Ivanovic's second game back following injury was as a central defender at Swansea. He discusses the game with the official Chelsea website...
IVANOVIC: STILL SPECIAL - 27.01.2012
Branislav Ivanovic reaffirms the squad's collective desire to win the FA Cup...
WORDS WITH: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 25.01.2012
This month sees Branislav Ivanovic celebrate four years as a Chelsea player, and the versatile defender spoke to the club's website in order to take a look back at his time in the capital...
WORDS WITH: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 25.01.2012
This month sees Branislav Ivanovic celebrate four years as a Chelsea player, and the versatile defender spoke to the club's website in order to take a look back at his time in the capital...
CHELSEA 2012: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 18.01.2012
With London 2012 set to dominate the headlines in the capital this summer, it is Branislav Ivanovic's turn to take our Olympic questionnaire...
DI MATTEO: ABSENCES MOUNT - 07.01.2012
Branislav Ivanovic is ruled out of Sunday's FA Cup game against Portsmouth, but Florent Malouda is available after overcoming illness...
HOME AND AWAY: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 14.03.2011
After a free weekend, our Serbian defender considers life at Cobham, friends in high places and life next to Yury Zhirkov...
THE THURSDAY INTERVIEW: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC - 25.11.2010
Branislav Ivanovic discusses his goalscoring run, a desire for more momentum and the growth of Serbian influence in the Premier League...

Name: Branislav Ivanovic
Nationality: Serbian
Date of Birth: 22/02/1984
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 86.0 kg
Previous Clubs: Lokomotiv Moscow, OFK Belgrade
Position: Defender

Chelsea career
Branislav's start to life as a Chelsea player was slow. Signed in January 2008, it took him eight months to gain the necessary match fitness to play in the Carling Cup away at Portsmouth, before a lengthier spell in the heart of defence alongside John Terry after injury to Ricardo Carvalho and Alex.

Settled in London and his English steadily improving, Branislav began to show his true capabilities, while also earning cult status among Chelsea fans for his Champions League double at Anfield in April 2009.

Deployed at centre-half, Ivanovic went up for two corners and was almost ignored as the threat of Terry and Didier Drogba was deemed more dangerous by Liverpool, allowing him to ghost in and crash home two headers, all but booking our place in that season's semi-finals.

He kept his place for a run of games afterwards, marking Thierry Henry in the Camp Nou, and while at first struggling with the Frenchman's raw pace, he adapted and made a number of important blocks, interceptions and clearances.

If steady progress was the theme of Branislav's first full season as a Chelsea player when he played 26 times, in his second he made himself almost indispensable.

Beginning that 2009/10 campaign as understudy to Jose Bosingwa at right-back, the Serb came in when the Portuguese suffered a season-ending knee injury in October, and never looked back, contributing a series of assured displays with his strong defensive work and powerful attacking play.

His 41 appearances placed him as a frontrunner in voting for our Player of the Year award, and although he eventually lost out to Drogba, he joined the Ivorian in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season.

He bundled himself his solitary goal of the campaign at Bolton at the end of October as he kept seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, while beginning to offer an added threat in attack.

Away in the San Siro in the Champions League he was arguably at fault for Inter's first goal but compensated by charging his way through their midfield and defence to tee up Salomon Kalou for the equaliser.

The domestic title race was tight, and going all the way, so it was frustrating for the Serb to pick up a calf injury at Blackburn in March. It kept him out almost a month, returning as a half-time sub at Spurs after damage had already been done, and starting in the 7-0 bashing of Stoke.

Impeccable in a vital win at Liverpool, he then set up Nicolas Anelka before coming off on the hour to a champion's ovation against Wigan as the title was won.

During 2010/11, Ivanovic was an almost ever-present in the back four, his form rarely dipping below excellent as he earned a new five-and-a-half year deal, signed in early February that will keep him at the club until 2016.

There were key goals too, like the late winner at Blackburn in October and a brace against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League group stages, yet his season will be remembered for his committed consistency on the back foot. Boasting one of football's most powerful physiques, he finished a runner-up in the end of season Player of the Year awards.

The appointment of Andre Villas-Boas brought a more attacking philosophy to the side, which meant increased competition at right-back from the previously out of favour Bosingwa who was given the nod to start the season. Injury in the centre allowed the Serbian a route back into the team though, but clean sheets were proving hard to come by. To counter this, Villas-Boas shifted Branislav to right-back and recalled Alex for the trip to Blackburn in early November, securing a 1-0 win.

The majority of the campaign has seen him switched between right-back and centre-back, although a string of niggling injuries have kept him sidelined at intermittent periods. However, just like his double at Anfield in the quarter-finals of the Champions League back in 2009, Ivanovic will be remembered for some time for his extra time winner against Napoli that sent the Blues through at the Italians' expense.

March was a profitable month for the Serbian international in terms of goals; he also netted two in a 4-2 away win at Aston Villa.

A booking in the semi-final of the Champions League sadly ruled the Serbian out of the Final, but he played the full 90 minutes of the FA Cup Final as we beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley.

The 2012/13 campaign began on a sour note when Ivanovic was dismissed during our Community Shield defeat to Manchester City, but he made amends a week later, scoring our first goal of the season against Wigan Athletic after only two minutes, while following it up three days later with the fourth goal in our 4-2 home win against Reading.

With new-signing Cesar Azpilicueta now vying for the right-back slot alongside the Serbian, he netted his third goal of the season with a well-taken volley in the 4-1 win against Norwich City.

Ivanovic was handed a one-match ban after seeing red during our 3-2 home defeat against Manchester United, subsequently sitting out the Capital One Cup victory against the same opponents only a few days later.

On his return to the side for the 1-1 draw at Swansea, he played in the centre of defence alongside Gary Cahill in the absence of both John Terry and David Luiz, a move which paved the way for Cesar Azpilicueta to make his first league start for the club at right-back.

Pre-Chelsea
Signed from Lokomotiv Moscow on a three-and-a-half year contract, Branislav became then manager Avram Grant's second signing in the January 2008 transfer window, following on from the arrival of Nicolas Anelka.

Having begun his career in his native Serbia at local club Sremska Mitrovica, he soon moved to the Serbian capital Belgrade to play for OFK Beograd where he remained for three seasons, joining Lokomotiv in the summer of 2006. He appeared for the Russian side in the Uefa Cup.

International Career
A star of Serbia's Under 21s in both the 2006 and 2007 European Championships, Branislav was voted into the Uefa Team of the Tournament for the more recent event, and successfully graduated into a regular for the full national side.

He made his Serbia and Montenegro debut in June 2006 and was established on the international scene before he was established for Chelsea. No-one played more minutes for Serbia in qualifying for 2010 World Cup where he was a regular although his team didn't make it out the group stage despite defeating Germany. He previously captained Serbia to the final of the European Under 21 Championships.

When Nemanja Vidic stood down as captain of the national side in 2011, Branislav was handed the armband, but the opportunity to captain Serbia at a major tournament fell through when they failed to qualify for Euro 2012.

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