9 reasons why Chelsea fans will always love Branislav Ivanovic

On January 16, 2008, Chelsea signed Branislav Ivanovic from Lokomotiv Moscow. It worked out rather well.

From scoring the winning goal in a European final to being bitten by Luis Suarez, Ivanovic's nine-year spell at Stamford Bridge had everything.

We love him, Chelsea fans love him, and here's why.

A trophy a year

In his nine years at the club, Ivanovic won nine major honours (and a Community Shield).

And he certainly played his part in the success – he was twice named in the Premier League team of the season, once in the Champions League equivalent, and also earned the man of the match award after scoring the winner in the 2013 Europa League final.

He's one of those

You know those players, who whenever your team plays against them you absolutely hate, but if they're playing for your team then you absolutely love.

Ivanovic loves a tackle and knows how to play a little bit dirty when the referee's head is turned, and we can't help but admire that.

Knows how to score a goal

Some defenders just seem to have that knack for being in the right place at the right time, and Ivanovic knows how to finish a chance as well.

In total he scored 34 goals in all competitions during his time at Chelsea, including the occasional cracker.

Two-goal Ivanovic

That's right, he even earned a nickname because of his goalscoring.

His brace in the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, while still hovering around the fringes of the first team, immediately gave him a firm spot in Chelsea fans' hearts.

And he absolutely loves it when he does score

One thing you certainly can't deny is his immense passion, and that's best typified whenever he's thumped one into the back of the net.

He makes Eden Hazard go really high pitched

There's something about Ivanovic's steely persona that makes him seem quite a serious guy.

But as he and fellow Chelsea team-mates film for an appeal video, something about that seriousness seems to tickle Eden Hazard.

Accidentally became a brilliant right-back

Ivanovic is heralded as one of the greatest right-backs of recent Premier League years, but he was signed as a central defender.

Only when first-team opportunities were hard to come by and right-back Jose Bosingwa got injured was he asked to fill in, and boy did he do that well.

He hates Geoff Shreeves

This is still painful to watch.

Just why, Geoff, why?

And finally… this

Erm, yeah. We'll leave it at that.