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Tag: Chelsea

  • EPL: Hazard doubles push Chelsea to top three

    EPL: Hazard doubles push Chelsea to top three

    Eden Hazard scored one of the goals of the Premier League season as Chelsea beat West Ham to climb above Tottenham and Arsenal into third spot in the race for a Champions League place.

    Hazard, who has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, evaded five players during a stunning run, before the Belgium forward calmly beat keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

    He added a late second goal to cap a magnificent individual performance in an entertaining game at Stamford Bridge.

    Gonzalo Higuain hit a post, while Hazard was denied a penalty after what looked like a foul by Marko Arnautovic, with Argentine midfielder Manuel Lanzini going closest for West Ham with a shot which was beaten away by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

    Chelsea, who can still qualify for next season’s Champions League by winning the Europa League, are three points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal – who have a game in hand – after a third successive league win.

    The Hammers remain 11th after a third defeat in four league games.

  • Higuain has same problem as Luis Suarez, says Sarri

    Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has compared Gonzalo Higuain to Luis Suarez and says the on-loan striker “needs time” to improve.

    The 31-year-old, who joined Chelsea on loan from Juventus in January, was an unused substitute in the 3-0 win over Brighton on Wednesday.

    Sarri insists he wants to keep Higuain next season but wants him to improve physically for the Premier League.

    “It was a problem for Suarez in the first season at Liverpool,” Sarri said.

    Suarez joined Liverpool in January 2011 and scored four Premier League goals before the season ended. The following season he scored 11 league goals, before going on to score 23 and 31 respectively in those that followed.

    “He has to improve physically, mentally, but I think also he will be able to be very useful for us in the last part of the season,” Sarri said of Higuain, who has scored three goals in eight league appearances for Chelsea.

    “It’s not easy in the first months to play in the Premier League. It was a problem also for Suarez in the first season at Liverpool. He scored only a few goals. In the second season he scored more. So it’s not easy, especially for a striker, to play immediately well in the Premier League.

    “I think he needs time to improve his physical condition and time to be suitable for the Premier League. I think he is able to do it.”

    Sarri hopes to keep Higuain at Stamford Bridge next season but said it was dependant on both Chelsea and his parent club. Chelsea have the option to buy the Argentine for 36m euros (£31.3m) or to extend his loan deal until June 2020 for 18m euros (£15.6m).

    “Yes of course [I want to keep him], but it depends on the club, it depends on Juventus,” said Sarri.

    “It’s not clear the situation at the moment.”

    Fifth-placed Chelsea face West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

    BBC

  • EPL: Loftus-Cheek now a complete midfielder – Sarri

    EPL: Loftus-Cheek now a complete midfielder – Sarri

    Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has praised Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s improvement during this season, hailing him as a “complete” midfielder.

    The England international has scored twice in his last two games, securing a late winner against Cardiff last weekend before getting the Blues’ third in their midweek victory over Brighton.

    Loftus-Cheek’s start against the Seagulls was just his second in the Premier League under Maurizio Sarri, but when asked if he has progressed during their time together, the Italian said: “Yes, a lot, especially tactically.

    “Now he is tactically a very good midfielder. At the beginning of the season he was a very offensive midfielder. Now he is complete, I think.”

    Loftus-Cheek has made 31 appearances, 11 from the start, for Chelsea this season, but those numbers could have been higher were it not for a recurring back injury.

    Sarri says he could start most of their matches between now and the end of the season, but added: “We need to check every day the condition of his back.

    “This morning he had only a recovery session because he needs time to recover after a match. The problem in this moment is that probably he is not able to play for 90 minutes.

    “It’s a problem of course, but I think our doctor is able to take control of the situation.”

     

  • Chelsea thrash Brighton to bolster Champions League hopes

    Chelsea thrash Brighton to bolster Champions League hopes

    Chelsea boosted their chances of a top-four finish by beating Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0 at home on Wednesday.

    The blues were helped by an impressive first Premier League start from winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

    The 18-year-old, who last month made his first start for England but has struggled to feature for Chelsea, created the opener when he crossed for Olivier Giroud to score with a flick of the outside of his boot in the 38th minute.

    Belgium’s Eden Hazard made it 2-0 on the hour when he collected a pass from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and curled a shot from the edge of the box past Mat Ryan.

    Three minutes later, Hazard repaid the favour, feeding Loftus-Cheek to fire home.

    Chelsea overtook Manchester United to sit in fifth place in the Premier League on 63 points, level with fourth-placed Arsenal who have a game in hand, and one point behind Tottenham Hotspur in the chase for places in next season’s Champions League.

    Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri, who said he understood the frustration of fans with his team’s inconsistent form before the kickoff, made seven changes from the starting 11 on Sunday when the Londoners laboured to a 2-1 away win at Cardiff.

    Brighton, which parades Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun is fighting to avoid being dragged into the relegation fight.

    They remain 15th, five points above the relegation zone.

  • Maurizio Sarri getting used to Chelsea boo-boys

    Maurizio Sarri getting used to Chelsea boo-boys

    Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri says he is getting used to fans calling for him to resign after his team laboured to a 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Cardiff City on Sunday.

    Chelsea needed a controversial goal from captain Cesar Azpilicueta from what appeared to be an offside position and an injury time header from midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the narrow win, which kept them sixth in the Premier League table.

    Sarri’s decision to start with Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante on the bench sparked off the criticism, with fans chanting “we want Sarri out” and “you don’t know what you’re doing”, after their team fell behind just after half-time.

    “I can understand (the fans’ reaction) very well,” Sarri told reporters.

    “I have been on the pitch for the last 45 years, so I know the reaction of the fans.

    “Unfortunately, in the last period, I am getting used to this; I have to work just in order to change their opinion! if you win matches, the fans will be happy,” he said.

    Fans turned on Sarri, who joined Chelsea in July, after a string of poor results in 2019 that included a 4-0 defeat at Bournemouth, a 6-0 drubbing by Manchester City and a 2-0 defeat at Everton.

    The Italian said he wanted to prove his detractors wrong.

    “I want to stay,” Sarri said, adding, “when I arrived, this team was 30 points behind Manchester City. They were fifth. So I want to stay here, I want to improve the results.”

    Chelsea will next face Brighton and Hove Albion in the league on Wednesday.

  • EPL: Hudson-Odoi will stay at Chelsea – Sarri

    EPL: Hudson-Odoi will stay at Chelsea – Sarri

    Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri believes England international Callum Hudson-Odoi will stay with the club – and can become one of Europe’s leading players.

    The 18-year-old started for England in Montenegro on Monday but is yet to begin a league match for his club.

    He has been linked with Bayern Munich and in the last week more European clubs have shown interest.

    “I’m not able to say he’s going to sign a contract, but I think he’ll stay here with us in every case,” Sarri said.

    Hudson-Odoi made his senior Chelsea debut in an FA Cup tie against Newcastle in January 2018 and made a total of four substitute appearances last term.

    The academy graduate started the curtain-raising Community Shield match against Manchester City in August but his club appearances have been mainly restricted to the Europa League and domestic cup competitions this season.

    He has made 19 appearances this season, including starting four of the team’s eight Europa League matches, two FA Cup ties and one League Cup fixture.

    Sarri believes the teenager’s development is being managed correctly.

    “In the last season, Callum was only 17 and he played three or four matches. In this season, he is really very young – only 18 – but, at the moment, he has played for 19 or 20 matches. I think the evolution is the right evolution.

    “Probably, he will play 30-35 matches in the next season and so I think that, with Callum, we are on the right path.

    “He can become, I think, one of the most important players in Europe.

    “Of course he is very young. But I think that he is really very strong. The character is really very strong.”

    Sarri admitted that he only watched 20 minutes of his winger’s full international debut as England came from a goal down to beat Montenegro 5-1, adding: “I had 14 players in the national teams – I had no time to watch 20 matches.

    “Callum didn’t start very well in the first 20 minutes on the right. He did very well on the left immediately but I know him very well, and I know he prefers to play on the left.”

    BBC

  • Eden Hazard a Chelsea legend, says Drogba

    Eden Hazard a Chelsea legend, says Drogba

    Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes Eden Hazard has attained the height of becoming a Chelsea legend regardless of whether he leaves the club for Real Madrid at the end of the season.

    The Belgium international’s existing deal is due to expire in June 2020 and Chelsea are keen to tie him down to a new five-year contract, making him the club’s highest paid player in the process.

    Real Madrid’s interest represents a problem, though, as the £100 million-rated winger has admitted on more than one occasion that playing at the Santiago Bernabeu would be a dream for him, particularly with his idol Zinedine Zidane once more in charge in the Spanish capital.

    Drogba is impressed with Hazard’s development since they played together roughly four years ago and feels the 28-year-old has become the undisputed key man at Stamford Bridge.

    “He has become more clinical,” Drogba told Goal at Geneva Motorshow.

    “It comes with age as well. He is very efficient and I am really happy to see that. He is leading the team, carrying the team on his shoulders and he is doing that well.

    “He is someone who has got very high expectations of himself and his team-mates because he wants to win. Sometimes this pushes you to do a little bit more to do well because you want your team-mates to get to your level. This happens sometimes, but the more he plays in these big games, he reads the game better.

    “He is a legend [regardless of what happens], look at what he achieved in six years at the club. He won the league twice, won the FA Cup, won Player of the Year. We are talking about Eden Hazard. Please!

    “He brought something that we hadn’t seen for such a long time. The closest I can bring to him if I compare, if I may, is [Gianfranco] Zola. The talent to dribble, to make the difference and dribble one-versus-one. That’s him.”

  • EPL: Didier Drogba set for Chelsea return

    EPL: Didier Drogba set for Chelsea return

    Chelsea legend Didier Drogba will make an emotional playing return to Stamford Bridge this summer as part of Soccer Aid 2019.

    The Blues hero, who won 12 major honours with Chelsea, is set to be confirmed as one of the former professionals to play in the annual charity match, scheduled to take place on June 16.

    It will be the first time Drogba, 41, has played at his spiritual home since leaving his second spell at the club back in 2015.

    Drogba, who scored 164 goals during his two spells at the club, is sure to receive a hero’s reception back at the Bridge when he turns out for the Rest of the World to play against England given his legendary status among Chelsea supporters.

    The game at Stamford Bridge is the first time Soccer Aid has been played at a club stadium other than Old Trafford in its 13-year history.

    In recent months, the former striker’s foundation has helped pay for a new mobile heart clinic, opened a new school as well as providing computer facilities for various educational projects.

    ‘I am very excited to be coming back to Stamford Bridge to play in Soccer Aid for Unicef,’ Drogba said.

    ‘I am passionate about all children having access to healthcare and education, which is key to Unicef’s work around the world. I’m delighted that my foundation and UNICEF are planning a project together in Cote D’Ivoire.

    Together we can help make a real difference to so many children’s lives, and have a greater impact than ever before.’

    Meanwhile, Chelsea have lodged an appeal against their two window transfer ban, imposed by FIFA.

    The Blues are currently prevented from signing any players either this summer or January for breaking the rules surrounding the transfer of minors.

    FIFA confirmed on Monday that Chelsea – who were also fined £460,000 – have lodged an official appeal against the ruling, with the hearing to take place on April 11.

  • EPL: I’ve justified leaving Everton – Barkley

    Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley believes his form this season and return to prominence on the international stage has justified his decision to leave Everton.

    Barkley departed Everton in January last year in a transfer that led to criticism from supporters of his boyhood club and neutrals, who questioned whether he would be given the opportunity to continue his development at Stamford Bridge.

    However, Barkley has featured regularly for both club and country this season and scored his first international goals since 2015 as England thrashed Montenegro on Monday night.

    “Yes, exactly,” Barkley responded when asked if he needed the move.

    “I am away from my family and down in London by myself. I am in a totally different environment from Liverpool. I miss being with my family, it is totally different. It is how I am maturing as a person and a player. It is good.”

    “Since I made the move it was good to challenge myself and win trophies and to improve as a player. I’ve changed compared to when I was 18, 19 or 20. My diet is much ­better. My ­approach to games is much better and I am going into them with the right ­preparation and I am more ­relaxed, rather than think about things too much.”

  • Transfer ban means no player can leave Chelsea – Christensen

    Transfer ban means no player can leave Chelsea – Christensen

    Chelsea players looking for a move away from Stamford Bridge this year may be left disappointed, defender Andreas Christensen said on Monday.

    He said he has been told the club would hold on to the entire squad as they appeal their transfer ban.

    Chelsea were handed a one-year transfer ban by FIFA last month and fined 600,000 Swiss Francs (457,138 pounds) after they were found guilty of breaching rules on under-18 overseas players.

    The club have appealed against the decision but said they were “astonished” when the governing body denied their request to freeze the ban during the appeals progress.

    Christensen, who has made just three English Premier League (EPL) starts this season, has been linked with Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona.

    But now the Dane may have to make peace with remaining in London.

    “The messages we’ve got are that Chelsea can’t appeal the case and therefore want to keep all the players,” the 22-year-old told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

    “The situation I have ended up in has been very difficult to accept.”

    Chelsea’s ban may also complicate the future of talisman Eden Hazard, who said last year it was his dream to play for Real Madrid.

    British media have since reported that talks over a contract extension have been put on hold.

    Christensen, meanwhile, is looking for opportunities to impress manager Maurizio Sarri in the UEFA Europa League as he bids to establish a starting position.

    “I have tried to show myself on the training track, but it is difficult because it is limited how much we train with all the matches the team is going to play,” the centre back added.

    “Now I have played the matches in the Europa League and hope it will continue as long as we are in the tournament.”

    Chelsea face Slavia Prague in the quarter-finals of the Europa League next month.