TheNewsGuru

Tag: Chelsea

  • Chelsea face two-year transfer ban

    Chelsea allegedly face the threat of a two-year transfer ban following a Fifa investigation into their signing of foreign under-18 players, including former striker Bertrand Traore.

    Based on documents from Football Leaks, French website Mediapart claims 19 Chelsea signings have been looked at in a three year-long investigation.

    Mediapart alleges that 14 of those signings were under the age of 18.

    In a statement, Chelsea said it had “fully co-operated with Fifa”.

    The club also said it had “provided comprehensive evidence demonstrating its compliance with the applicable Fifa regulations”.

    According to Mediapart, Fifa’s integrity and compliance unit has recommended Chelsea are handed a transfer ban covering four transfer windows, as well as a fine of £45,000.

    It was first reported in September 2017 that Chelsea were being investigated.

    “The proceedings are ongoing and, to date, no decision has been passed by the Fifa judicial bodies,” football’s world governing body Fifa said in a statement.

    Burkino Faso international Traore – who now plays for Ligue 1 club Lyon – signed his first professional contract at Chelsea in 2013 at the age of 18 but wasn’t registered until January 2014.

    Mediapart claims Fifa found evidence that Chelsea had misled them over the dates, while Traore was found to have made 25 appearances for the Blues (under-16, under-18 and first team) despite not being registered by the Football Association.

    Chelsea have also admitted they paid his mother £155,000, as well as a further £13,000 to the club she chaired – AJE Bobo-Dioulasso – in April 2011 to allow them first refusal over his signature.

    That deal, it is alleged, was for four-and-a-half years, despite the limit for under-18s being only three years.

    In addition, it is also claimed Chelsea paid for Traore to attend the £20,000-a-year Whitgift School in Surrey.

    Should they be handed a transfer ban, Chelsea will be the latest club to receive such punishment after similar incidences in La Liga.

    Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have both previously received bans for breaching rules over the signing of minors in early 2016, while Barcelona were given a 14-month ban after breaking rules for signing international under-18s in 2014.

    BBC

  • Former England, Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole retires

    Former England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole announced his retirement from football on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on a 20-year professional career.

    Cole, who turned 37, last week, made 716 appearances and scored 104 goals for seven clubs and completed his career with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the second-tier United Soccer League.

    “After 20 years as a professional, the time has come for me to hang up my boots. It has been a dream comes true.

    “Whatever is next, I hope the next two decades are as special as my last 20 years as a professional I have been,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Cole went through West Ham United’s youth system.

    Cole made his debut at West Ham aged 17 and became club captain four years later.

    He was regarded by many as one of England’s brightest youth prospects due to his excellent dribbling skills and flair.

    He, however, joined Chelsea FC in 2003, one of a number of recruits brought in following the takeover of the club by Russian Roman Abramovich.

    Cole went on to win prestigious domestic honours at Chelsea, including three Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

    On the international stage, Cole was regarded as a member of England’s ‘golden generation’ which included the likes of Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand.

    He scored 10 goals in 56 appearances for the national side between 2001 and 2010, but never quite reached the potential he showed in his youth.

    Cole was often hindered by injuries throughout his career.

    He was selected for the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups, making his final England appearance at the latter tournament in South Africa.

    Cole’s career after leaving Chelsea in 2010 was limited to short uneventful spells at Liverpool, Lille, West Ham, Aston Villa and Coventry City before moving to the United States.

    Having enjoyed a short stint as player-assistant coach at the Rowdies, Cole now wishes to pursue a coaching career in the near-future.

    “I want to stay involved in the game. I feel I can offer a lot as a coach and have really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake some of these duties with the Rowdies.

    “To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine,” Cole said.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Chelsea must fix problem after draw with Everton – Sarri

    Chelsea must fix problem after draw with Everton – Sarri

    Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri says his side need to “sort out the problem” of how they “approach” games after they were held to a scrappy goalless draw by Everton.

    Sarri’s Blues had the better chances at Stamford Bridge but missed the opportunity to briefly return to the top of the Premier League.

    “I think we have to sort out the problem of the approach of the match,” said Sarri. “Because in the last two or three matches we haven’t been approaching the games right.

    “At the beginning we moved the ball too slowly, so it is easy for the opposition to defend and impossible for us to be dangerous.”

    However, the result means Chelsea have now stayed unbeaten in their opening 12 top-flight games for only the second time in their history.

    It also secured a small piece of history for Sarri himself, who has become the first Premier League manager to avoid defeat in their first dozen games.

  • Chelsea extend unbeaten run with goalless draw against Everton

    Chelsea missed the chance to return to the top of the Premier League as they were held to a scrappy goalless draw by Everton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

    Maurizio Sarri’s side had the better chances at Stamford Bridge, but were frustrated on several occasions by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

    The result means the hosts have now stayed unbeaten in their opening 12 top-flight games for only the second time in their history.

    It also secured a small piece of history for Sarri himself, who has become the first Premier League manager or head coach to avoid defeat in their first dozen games.

    Prior to Sunday’s Manchester derby, Chelsea are third in the table, two points behind leaders Liverpool, who beat Fulham 2-0 at Anfield earlier.

    Everton remain in ninth, but played their part in west London, with Icelandic playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson forcing a smart save from Kepa Arrizabalaga on the hour.

    However, their wait for a Premier League win at Chelsea now extends to 24 matches over as many years.

    In what was at times a frustrating and disjointed game, the best chances fell to Marcos Alonso, who saw a volley saved by Pickford, before hitting the post with time running out.

    Chelsea, who were armed with the fit-again Eden Hazard in their starting XI, introduced ex-Everton midfielder Ross Barkley from the bench for the closing stages.

    But he was ultimately unable to make a telling impact in his 10 minutes or so on the pitch as the match fizzled out to a stalemate.

     

  • Giroud ends goal drought, sends Chelsea through in Europa League

    Olivier Giroud scored his first Chelsea goal in 794 minutes as the Blues progressed to the Europa League knockout stages with a 1-0 win at BATE Borisov.

    The France international, who had not scored under Sarri, headed in Emerson’s cross at the near post early in the second period to maintain the Blues’ 100% Group L record.

    “I’m pleased for him,” Sarri said. “I know strikers want to score. And so for his confidence, I think it’s very important.

    “I don’t want him to be worried about scoring, because for us he’s very important, a very, very useful player for the team.”

    Seven changes were made to the side which last Sunday beat Crystal Palace 3-1, with Hazard starting for the first time since the draw with Manchester United on October 20.

    Chelsea are now six points clear of Hungarian side MOL Vidi, who moved up to second in the group with a win over PAOK Salonika.

  • Chelsea improving but City, Liverpool remain teams to beat, Sarri insists

    Chelsea improving but City, Liverpool remain teams to beat, Sarri insists

    Manchester City and Liverpool remain the teams to beat but Chelsea are closing the gap, the London side’s manager Maurizio Sarri says.

    His side extended their unbeaten start to the season to 11 games with a 3-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

    While the Italian insists his side still have some way to go, Chelsea’s improvement under the tactician this season has been nothing short of startling.

    The Blues laboured to fifth-place and finished 30 points behind champions Manchester City last season, playing underwhelming football throughout.

    It was a campaign that was overshadowed by reports of rift between Chelsea players and former manager Antonio Conte.

    But since arriving from Napoli in July, Sarri has lifted the mood at Stamford Bridge and transformed the Chelsea side into one of the most potent attacking sides in Europe.

    After almost one third of the season, they trail leaders Manchester City by only two points.

    Along with Manchester City and third-placed Liverpool, Chelsea remain unbeaten after 11 games with Sarri equalling the longest unbeaten start by a new Premier League manager.

    It was set by Nottingham Forest’s Frank Clark in 1994.

    “Manchester City and Liverpool are at the moment a step ahead of us,” Sarri told Sky Sports even though Chelsea are ahead of Juergen Klopp’s side on goal difference.

    “When I arrived the gap from last season was 30 points with Manchester City. It is difficult to think you can recover this gap in one season, or in six months. We need to improve more because we are doing well.”

    Such has been Chelsea’s form this season, they were expected to make light work of a Crystal Palace side who had won just twice in their opening 10 fixtures.

    However, midway through the second half a spirited Palace side were holding the Blues.

    But a brace of goals from the improving Alvaro Morata and an impressive cameo from returning talisman Eden Hazard saw them canter home.

    “We were a little bit in trouble. So, we needed some quality and personality,” Sarri continued.

    “We were lucky because we had Eden on the bench. He was able to immediately change the match.

    “I am really very happy for Alvaro. He improved in the last month in confidence and personality. He improved also from a tactical and technical point of view. He plays with more continuity from the team.

    “He has great potential physically and technically. He can improve more. Potentially he can be (a top striker at a top club).”

    Reuters/NAN

  • Hazard to return against Crystal Palace – Sarri

    Hazard to return against Crystal Palace – Sarri

    Chelsea forward Eden Hazard will return against Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Sunday but is unlikely to play the full match, manager Maurizio Sarri said on Friday.

    Hazard, the league’s joint-top goalscorer this season with seven goals, has missed the last three matches with a back injury.

    “Yesterday (Thursday), he had a large part of the training with the team,” Sarri told reporters at a news conference on Friday at Stamford Bridge.

    “But maybe he will not be ready to play for 90 minutes at the moment, because it was his first training for the two weeks.

    “Probably he will be able to play for 40 to 45 minutes. So, for us, it is important.”

    When pressed on whether Hazard will start the match, Sarri added: “I don’t know, I want to speak with him first.”

    Sarri is unbeaten in his first 10 league matches as Chelsea manager and can now match the record held by Frank Clark.

    He had taken charge of 11 without defeat with Nottingham Forest at the start of the 1994/1995 campaign.

    But the Italian is not getting carried away with the team’s positive run of results.

    “I think here I was lucky because my players were able to win without a high level of tactical level,” the Italian coach added.

    “I don’t want to think about the record, only to think about the match and to gain points.

    “The record is only a consequence of the match. I have to send the message to my players that the match is the only thing that is important.”

    Reuters/NAN

  • Chelsea coach Ianni fined after goal celebration against Man Utd

    Chelsea coach Marco Ianni has been fined £6,000 by the Football Association for his celebration after a 96th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

    Ianni celebrated in front of the United bench, sparking a reaction from United manager Jose Mourinho.
    The FA said Ianni had admitted an “improper conduct charge”.
    Mourinho was not punished by the FA for his part in the fracas at Stamford Bridge on 20 October.

  • Unbeaten Chelsea score four at Burnley to go second

    Unbeaten Chelsea coped without Eden Hazard to move second in the Premier League by easing to victory at Burnley

    Maurizio Sarri’s side were without their star Belgium forward and top goalscorer, who missed the game with a back injury.
    Ross Barkley set up Alvaro Morata’s 22nd-minute opener, sliding a wonderful through ball into the Spaniard’s path to poke past Burnley keeper Joe Hart.
    The England midfielder then scored himself, sending a 25-yard shot into the bottom corner of Hart’s net just before the hour mark.
    Five minutes later, he registered his second assist of the match, as he set up Willian, with the Brazilian cutting in on to his right foot and curling a shot past Hart into the same corner.
    Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who scored a midweek hat-trick in the Europa League, added a fourth in injury time to seal the win.
    Burnley, who stay in 14th, barely threatened and were reduced to chasing Chelsea’s shadows for much of the game.
    Chelsea are two points behind leaders Liverpool and one ahead of Manchester City, who play Tottenham on Monday night.
    BBC

  • Victor Moses set to dump Chelsea

    Victor Moses set to dump Chelsea

    Chelsea winger Victor Moses has joined the growing list of players who could be heading for the Stamford Bridge exit door in January.
    The 27-year-old has not impressed new manager Maurizio Sarri after being a regular under Antonio Conte, and could be another player on the move next year.
    He made 38 appearances in all competitions last season, netting four times, after playing 40 games the season before, scoring four again.
    Moses, who represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia before the team crashed out from the group stage.
    TNG recall that the former Super Eagles star, after the World Cup on 15 August announced his retirement from international football.
    However, since Maurizio Sarri’s appointment as new Chelsea manager, the team witnessed a change in formation with a traditional flat back-four, leaving Moses as an option on the wing.
    With Willian in the squad, Moses has found game-time hard to come by. He has only made five appearances this season, with two coming in the Premier League.
    The report does not mention any potential destinations for Moses, although many Premier League sides are likely to be interested.