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Tag: Giroud

  • Giroud stunner gives Chelsea win over Atletico Madrid

    Giroud stunner gives Chelsea win over Atletico Madrid

    Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick gave Chelsea an outstanding victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg in Bucharest.

    Giroud’s superb moment of improvisation not only delivered the win and a vital away goal but also continued new manager Thomas Tuchel’s unbeaten start at Chelsea and put them in pole position to reach the quarter-finals.

    In a tie played in Romania instead of Spain because of Covid-19 restrictions, Giroud demonstrated athleticism and technique to send an acrobatic effort beyond Atletico keeper Jan Oblak in the 68th minute. The goal was originally ruled out for offside before a video assistant referee review revealed the ball had bounced off Atletico defender Mario Hermoso.

    It was reward for Chelsea’s more progressive style in the face of the usual attritional approach from Diego Simeone’s Atletico. They rarely troubled Tuchel’s side who comfortably kept the in-form but increasingly frustrated Luis Suarez at bay.

    Chelsea have now gone eight matches unbeaten since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard while Giroud is emerging as their Champions League talisman after scoring all four goals in the group-phase victory against Sevilla and a last-minute winner away to Rennes.

    BBC

  • Giroud dismisses Juve January transfer talk

    Giroud dismisses Juve January transfer talk

    Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has again declared his commitment to remain at Stamford Bridge.

    The veteran striker was talked up as a potential signing this month by Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo on Sunday.

    But speaking with Le Dauphiné Libéré, Giroud stated: “The rest of my career in the short term, I see here at Chelsea. Now we know that things are going very quickly in football, for the good and the bad. I want to keep a cool head and focus on the pitch.

    “I’m coming to the end of my contract at Chelsea next June, even though we still have one year with options. We will do the accounts at the end of the year. But once again, I have the ambition to win something with Chelsea this season because I have high hopes linked to the quality of our squad.”

  • I won’t give Giroud playing assurances – Lampard

    I won’t give Giroud playing assurances – Lampard

    Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has refused to offer playing assurances to Olivier Giroud.

    Giroud scored four goals in the midweek Champions League defeat of Sevilla, but could still be on the bench against Leeds United.

    Lampard said, “With Giroud, it’s not a case of giving any player assurances over game time because with a competitive squad like ours, that’s very difficult to do.

    “All you want is for players, when they’re out of the team, to train well, get themselves in the team and perform like Oli did the other day because then that gives me nice problems. I’m happy with him – his form is good and he’s training well.

    “In that forward area, I have competition for places. Tammy Abraham has been playing very well for us this season, scoring goals and making assists. I never see anything negative from Oli and I have huge respect for him. If he plays like he did against Sevilla, clearly he will get more opportunities to play because that was just a top-class performance.”

  • Giroud scores four as Chelsea thrash Sevilla

    Giroud scores four as Chelsea thrash Sevilla

    Olivier Giroud scored all four goals in a comprehensive Chelsea victory over Sevilla that ensures the Blues take top spot in Champions League Group E.

    The Frenchman scored early in each half with two delightful finishes after being fed by clever passes from Kai Havertz and Matteo Kovacic respectively.

    He completed the treble with a flicked near-post header, then converted a penalty after he was bundled over in the box.

    Already assured of qualification for the last 16, Chelsea made nine changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

    Both Havertz and Christian Pulisic made their first Blues starts since October following illness and injury, while 19-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour came off the bench for his first appearance of the season.

    Sevilla, also sure of their place in the knockout stages, were without a number of first-choice players and were forced to give a debut to goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor after Tomas Vaclik was injured in the warm-up.

    There was little the 20-year-old could do about the goals and his saves ensured Chelsea’s winning margin was not greater.

  • Giroud sends message to Lampard after Rennes winner

    Giroud sends message to Lampard after Rennes winner

    Olivier Giroud says he will continue to deliver when called upon by Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

    The Frenchman has hardly played this season due to the performances of Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner.

    But the veteran striker came off the bench to score a late winner against Rennes on Tuesday, booking Chelsea’s place in the Champions League knockout rounds.

    “We must continue this good run, we won tonight, even if it was with difficulty,” Giroud told RMC Sport.

    “Obviously for an attacker when the coach brings you on you have to bring something, now I am staying concentrated on what I have to do.

    “When he calls on me, I do the job, nothing more.”

  • Giroud late header seals Chelsea’s qualification to last 16

    Giroud late header seals Chelsea’s qualification to last 16

    Chelsea have booked their place in the Champions League knockout stages thanks to Olivier Giroud’s injury-time winner against Rennes.

    Callum Hudson-Odoi got Chelsea off with a great start by scoring the opener at 22 minutes.

    The England U21 winger was put through by a sublime through pass from compatriot Mason Mount, finishing with a crisp low shot past Alfred Gomis.

    It looked as though Rennes had stolen a point when Serhou Guirassy headed home from a corner with five minutes remaining.

    But it was substitute Giroud, having played only 127 minutes this season, who headed the winner after Timo Werner’s effort was blocked.

    Sevilla’s win over Krasnodar still leaves Chelsea on top of Group E with 10 points and qualified for the last-16.

    Speaking after the game, manager Frank Lampard said; “I’m very happy to qualify with two games to spare. It was a really tough match for us tonight.

    “Rennes are a very good team. We played well for big spells of the game. It was a tough, had-fought win.”

  • I want Giroud to stay – Lampard

    I want Giroud to stay – Lampard

    Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has declared he wants Olivier Giroudb to see out the season.

    Giroud’s agent has warned that the World Cup winner will leave the club if the situation does not change, but Lampard says he has a “good relationship” with 34-year-old.

    “I want Oli [Giroud] to stay,” said Lampard.

    “He is very important to me and I know what he has to offer. I know he wants to play but he always trains brilliantly, no matter what.

    “I saw those quotes from his agent but they didn’t surprise me. I know Oli and we talk all the time.”

  • What Giroud told Lampard on Werner signing

    What Giroud told Lampard on Werner signing

    Olivier Giroud has detailed how he met with Chelsea boss Frank Lampard about his future when it became clear Timo Werner was arriving.

    Giroud penned a new 12-month deal with Chelsea in May.

    He recalled to Bein Sports: “Timo Werner? I provoked this discussion with the coach because I wanted to make him understand initially to be transparent with me that I had not made this end of the season when I scored 8 goals out of my 10 starts in Premier League for nothing.

    “I fought to get back into the team after a transfer window where I was convinced to leave Chelsea. The coach gave me this chance to come back to the team and I took it. I did a good job, I discussed it with the guys including Azpi (César Azpilicuelta), it is thanks to my performances that the team was also able to reach the Champions League, and I was proud of it.

    “Now it wasn’t to leave at the start of this season, although I know the competition will be even tougher. I still want to believe in it and fight for my place. I know football can go fast. I was discussing it with him, it is true that the arrival of Timo is an additional motivation, therefore necessarily an additional competition knowing that he can also evolve on one side. He does it in the national team and in Leipzig too, he is more at ease with another striker, a true 9.

    “So I spoke about it with the coach and since in recent matches he has played on the left, there will be healthy competition with Tammy (Abraham) at the forefront… But it’s true that we have a lot of offensive elements.

    “We will see how it evolves in the coming weeks.”

  • Giroud ‘surprised by Juventus messages’

    Giroud ‘surprised by Juventus messages’

    Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud is surprised by talk of contact with Juventus.

    It was reported that Giroud is a target for Juventus, but the 33-year-old said that such claims are “far from the truth”.

    Giroud told Telefoot: “I was surprised to receive messages from mates talking about the Juventus rumour.

    “It is far from the truth. I am a Chelsea player & I feel good here. I did not have a great end of season just to leave without a bit of faith.”

    The 33-year-old signed an extension to his Blues contract in May which will cover the entirety of the 2020-21 season, however this has not deterred interested clubs.

    He maintains he is determined to fight for his spot in Lampard’s starting XI after the £53million arrival of Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.

    “One thing is certain: the competition will pull us all to the top. A great club should have different options in each position.

    “We want to be in the race for the title and I’m here. I finished the season well and I proved to the manager that he can count on me.

    “Werner is not the same profile as me, I hope to have some playing time.”

  • EPL: Morata quicker than Higuain, Giroud – Makelele

    Chelsea legend, Claude Makelele, has claimed that striker, Alvaro Morata is quicker than Gonzalo Higuain and Olivier Giroud.

    The ex-midfield maestro said this following Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

    Morata is currently on loan at Atletico Madrid from Chelsea following the Blues manager, Maurizio Sarri’s decision to bring Gonzalo Higuain to Stamford Bridge last January.

    “For me, the way I see it, I think it depends on the manager and the way he wants to play football,” Makelele told Stadium Astro.

    “We didn’t know exactly what the manager wanted at the start. He prefers Higuain because he’s more adapted with Hazard and Willian, he had him before, he knows Higuain very well, so he knows the mentality and spirit of Sarri’s team.

    “But for me, the one is Morata, he’s a real striker. He’s like [Karim] Benzema a little bit, technically soft, scores goals, not selfish, runs, I think he’s quicker than Higuain and Giroud.”