Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Manchester City were tired, leggy and emotionally drained after penalty heartbreak in Madrid three days earlier as their Champions League defence ended, but survived a series of promising goalscoring chances before Bernardo Silva’s 84th-minute winner secured a hard-fought win over Chelsea, punching their ticket back into the FA Cup final for a third time in the last six seasons. Continue reading “Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea: Silva’s late strike sends Citizens back to FA Cup final”
Alejandro Garnacho scored a brace and the hosts were sleepwalking themselves into making more unwanted history. Yet their summer signing Cole Palmer, a boyhood Manchester United fan, completed a hat-trick with two stoppage-time strikes to seal a dramatic three points for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea – having relinquished a two-goal cushion – deep into the night in west London. Continue reading “Chelsea 4-3 Manchester United: Palmer’s hat-trick seals crazy stoppage-time win”
Roberto De Zerbi’s impressive managerial work at Brighton hasn’t gone unnoticed, to the point where a series of top sides in England and beyond are seriously interested in making him their new head coach come the summer months – less than two full years after joining the Seagulls as Graham Potter’s successor on the south Coast. Judging by recent comments, he’ll soon depart. Continue reading “De Zerbi’s managerial future unclear as cluster of top clubs circle for Brighton boss”
David Moyes declared Declan Rice was worth more than £100m, and his West Ham side were the beneficiaries of a nine-figure sum when Arsenal swooped for his signature last summer. Ivan Toney is perhaps even more expensive to Brentford, though the England striker’s existing situation makes it difficult to envisage a high bidding war – something his manager has now said publicly. Continue reading “Thomas Frank accepting the inevitable leaves Ivan Toney sweepstakes open”
At long last, Armando Broja has a new home and he’ll make the short trip to Chelsea’s west London rivals Fulham for the remainder of this season after the two clubs negotiated a £4m loan fee for his services – beating interest from others, including a surprise late swoop by one particular Italian giant. Continue reading “Fulham fend off interest from others, sealing loan deal for Chelsea’s Broja”
Chelsea have set a grim Premier League record for 2023 after their Christmas Eve 2-1 defeat away at Wolves, worsened by yellow card suspensions for two key forwards before hosting an unpredictable Crystal Palace on Wednesday… Continue reading “Chelsea set unwanted record in Wolves defeat while Palmer, Sterling suspended”
With newly-appointed captain Reece James and vice Ben Chilwell both sidelined, England midfielder Conor Gallagher again captained the side to a 2-0 away win over their west London rivals Fulham earlier tonight – producing precisely the sort of individual showing convincing other clubs to test Chelsea’s resolve for an overly criticised player keen to breakthrough at his boyhood club. Continue reading “After rejecting summer interest aplenty, Chelsea captain tag looks good on Conor”
News of Wesley Fofana sustaining a serious ACL injury today will have only strengthened Chelsea’s stance about securing the long-term future of a highly-rated youngster itching for more first-team football next season and beyond, after impressing at the heart of England’s U21 Euros-winning side this month. Continue reading “Pochettino lays down Levi Colwill gauntlet as Chelsea insist centre-back not for sale”
Although he’s technically under contract for another year, reports claim Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain will replace Mauricio Pochettino with Nice’s Christophe Galtier next week, as the 55-year-old has been deemed a priority choice as their new head coach by another fresh acquisition, new football advisor Luis Campos – who he worked with for three years at Lille.
Continue reading “Report: PSG agree €10m (£8.5m) fee for Nice’s Christophe Galtier as Pochettino successor”
Karim Benzema’s 17-minute hat-trick sent the Bernabeu into raptures, as Real Madrid produced the seemingly improbable: recovering from 1-0 down on the night, and 2-0 on aggregate, stunning PSG to progress into the Champions League quarter-finals. The visitors, ahead after Kylian Mbappe’s near-post finish six minutes before half-time, capitulated again. Continue reading “Real Madrid (3) 3-1 (2) PSG: Benzema’s second-half hat-trick secures unlikely comeback”
Kylian Mbappe scored his second stoppage-time winner in four days, ensuring PSG hold a slender first leg lead in their Champions League last-16 clash with La Liga leaders Real Madrid. The visitors defended stoutly with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing saves galore – including a Lionel Messi penalty – but had no chance stopping a magical moment at the death.
Continue reading “PSG 1-0 Real Madrid: Mbappe’s stoppage-time magic sinks Los Blancos in tense first leg”
Lionel Messi’s 21-year association with Barcelona, where he became the greatest player of his generation, ended yesterday. The Argentine joins a stacked PSG side whose pursuit of an elusive Champions League triumph has become clearer in recent months with their summer business. But while the seeds had been sown for a decade, even they wouldn’t have expected this…
Continue reading “Meticulous planning, irreparable damage and cruel irony: Lionel Messi at PSG”
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