Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
They trailed early for the second time in consecutive weeks and fourth already this campaign, yet Pep Guardiola’s defending champion Manchester City found a way to break Wolves’ hearts with a John Stones stoppage-time winner hours before Liverpool doused Chelsea’s encouraging start despite suffering more injury woes as the Premier League’s pacesetters intensified this weekend. Continue reading “Gutsy 2-1 victories for leaders Liverpool, champs City say it all in early title race”
Spanish reports claim Manchester City are ready to activate the €60m (£50.2m) release clause for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi in January, while Torino’s Samuele Ricci and Porto’s Alan Varela are among the alternatives being suggested as versatile centre-back John Stones has publicly insisted this past week he can fill in for the Euro 2024 champion after ACL and meniscus surgery.
Continue reading “City search for January addition, many linked after Rodri’s season-ending injury”
Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates will play defending champions France or African record-breakers Morocco on Sunday afternoon in the World Cup Final after ultimately easing to a 3-0 win over Croatia in the tournament’s first semi-final. Turns out, Nicolas Tagliafico’s pre-match comments on the PSG man’s presence aged well here. Will they again this weekend?
Continue reading “World Cup 2022: Messi’s masterful display, Alvarez brace propels Argentina into Sunday’s final”
Romelu Lukaku came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal for 107 days, as the Belgium international defiantly dismantled Aston Villa’s backline once again during an eventful second-half ensuring they didn’t lose further ground in their title charge after defending champions Manchester City won a nine-goal thriller against Leicester elsewhere on Boxing Day.
Continue reading “Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea: Lukaku the matchwinner as Blues complete comfy comeback”
Federico Chiesa’s winner, 11 seconds into the second-half, felt inevitable after multiple warning signs were ignored but typified just how Chelsea – with their 73% possession and half-chances galore – laboured through proceedings in Turin. If Thomas Tuchel’s men are going to successfully defend their Champions League crown, they can’t afford more displays like these. Continue reading “Juventus 1-0 Chelsea: Chiesa the catalyst as ponderous Blues stifled in Turin”
A lot has changed for both sides in the four months since their last meeting, a 2-0 Leicester win propelling them top of the Premier League while confining the Blues to their fifth league defeat in a month under Frank Lampard. Under new management and with a Champions League Final to come on May 29, will Thomas Tuchel’s men prove a step too far for the bullish Foxes here?
Continue reading “FA Cup Final Preview: Chelsea vs Leicester – Time to step up”
Goals from Joao Cancelo, Diogo Jota, Joao Felix and Andre Silva in stoppage-time sealed an impressive 4-1 victory for Nations League winners Portugal – but they could have easily put Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia to the sword by half-time. Which individual players impressed while others struggled in Porto? Continue reading “Nations League – Portugal 4-1 Croatia: Player Ratings as Santos’ side cruise to victory”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a matchwinning brace for the second successive FA Cup tie, as Arsenal edged out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea – earning a record 14th title in competition history while subsequently qualifying for UEFA Europa League football next season with Mikel Arteta’s first piece of silverware in management. Continue reading “Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: Aubameyang’s brace seals FA Cup trophy and European football”
Goals from Willian and Ross Barkley were enough for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea to book their place in this season’s FA Cup quarter-finals at Liverpool’s expense during an enthralling encounter in west London. Continue reading “Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool: 5 Hits and Flops as Blues earn FA Cup quarter-final berth”
Mason Mount made a memorable return to Stamford Bridge and scored on his senior home debut but was helpless to stop Frank Lampard’s Chelsea side from dropping two points against a dangerous Leicester side unfortunate not to snatch a late winner in west London. Continue reading “Mason Mount thrills on Stamford Bridge debut, Chelsea drop points again”
Adrian was an unlikely hero on his first Liverpool start, producing the all-important penalty save in the shootout to deny Tammy Abraham and secure the UEFA Super Cup trophy for Jurgen Klopp’s men on a humid evening in Istanbul overnight. Continue reading “Liverpool 3-2 Chelsea (5-4 on pens): 5 Hits and Flops”
The Blues, set to begin their two-window transfer ban this summer, have bypassed their constraints by activating a clause in the midfielder’s loan deal to sign him permanently.
Continue reading “Chelsea bypass transfer ban, complete £40m Mateo Kovacic signing”
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