The line, which partnered with the Premier League club in November 2018 before extending the deal until 2024, said it would cease activities “until further notice”.

In a statement released on Monday (14 March), MSC said “we look forward to the transition of ownership”, adding it would “continue to support the club and its fans”.

The news comes after hotel search platform Trivago on Friday (11 March) vowed to stand by Chelsea despite the sanctions placed on the club due to its Russian ownership.

Trivago, while condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said it would not walk away from Chelsea, stressing it believed its partnership with the club could help make a difference on the ground in Ukraine.

Abramovich, who has owned Chelsea since 2003, was sanctioned by the UK government last week as part of its response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. He is one of seven oligarchs to be hit with asset freezes and travel bans.

Under the sanctions, Chelsea cannot sell match tickets, its merchandise shop has been closed, and the team is currently unable to buy or sell players.

The UK government has issued a special licence allowing fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid, and existing ticket holders to attend matches.

Earlier this month, and prior to being sanctioned, Abramovich came under pressure for his alleged ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin and announced plans to sell Chelsea.

An MSC spokesperson said: “Chelsea Football Club has a been a long-standing member of the football family with widespread appeal both locally and internationally, which is why we decided to partner with the club.

"We look forward to the transition of ownership and will continue to support the club and its fans. In the meantime, we have decided to temporarily withdraw the marketing activities included in our partnership until further notice and we thank the team at Chelsea Football Club for their understanding."