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And Leicester are torn apart as Chelsea take the early lead.
Terrific work by Jackson, who is able to glide past Jannik Vestergaard with his pace, break into the box and then have the presence of mind to pick out the totally unmarked Cucurella to tap in at the back post.
Wout Faes had drifted across to try and cut out Jackson’s cross but that didn’t work and his man was left free to score.
That’ll settle Chelsea nerves.
Photo Credit: EmiratesFACup/ X
Barcelona are set for a turbulent summer, as they look to balance their accounts and move in the right direction for their salary limit. However the impact of that is that very few players will have their future assured for next summer.
It emerged today that Barcelona could be open to selling Ronald Araujo this summer, but it is Jules Kounde who is attracting attention from Manchester United and Chelsea, as per MD.
Both need to rebuild their defence this summer, and Kounde will be allowed to leave for a satisfactory offer.
The Blaugrana are pleased with his professionalism this season, after again being asked to play at right-back rather than centre-back due to injuries. He arrived for €50m plus €10m in variables from Sevilla, and turned down Chelsea to move to Barcelona in the process.
Kounde has barely had a chance to play in his more natural role since arriving, but with Ronald Araujo, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Andreas Christensen for competition, will not find it easy to assert himself in his preferred position.
That said, a new manager could mean a fresh start for Kounde, and other exits, for example Araujo, may well allow him a second wind at Barcelona.
Photo Credit: FCBarcelona/ X
Chelsea have reportedly been turned down after making an approach for Girona boss Michel Sanchez, with the Spaniard eyeing a switch to a Premier League rival.
Michel, 48, has worked wonders this season after leading newly-promoted Girona to second place in LaLiga.
Chelsea are considering their options after a disappointing campaign with Mauricio Pochettino.
And AS claims Michel held talks with Stamford Bridge chiefs over a deal starting this summer.
Chelsea flew several big wigs to Spain for the meeting.
They apparently revealed their admiration for Michel’s miracle job at Girona.
And they also laid out their vision for Todd Boehly’s stumbling project.
However, Michel is said to have rejected Chelsea’s proposal.
He has no plans to quit Girona after just a year in the top flight.
And it’s also reckoned Michel has his sights set on bigger prizes.
Girona are owned by City Group, who are also in charge of Treble winners and current Premier League champions Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s Etihad deal expires in 2025, with questions raised over his long-term future.
And Michel is reportedly holding out for the City job when Guardiola eventually decides to step down.
Those at the helm of City Group also currently favour Michel as Pep’s replacement.
Photo Credit: GironaFC/ X
Mauricio Pochettino has told his Chelsea side that they must build on their win over Newcastle or face further struggles – and warned Mykhaylo Mudryk he still needs to raise his level despite scoring a fine goal against the Magpies.
Speaking after his team’s 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea manager praised the contributions of substitute Mudryk, who secured the win with a goal in the 76th minute.
The Ukrainian made a great impression coming off the bench to essentially seal the game for Chelsea. He raced to claim the ball before skillfully evading Fabian Schar and Martin Dubravka to score, making it 3-1.
“It was a very good goal and that is what we expect from a player from the bench – impact,” Pochettino stated. “Then it is about competing with different players in his position. Then he will deserve to (start).”
This crucial goal came at a key moment in the game, putting Chelsea back in control – something the Blues have struggled with recently.
They were leading 1-0 before, after a series of errors, Malo Gusto was caught out while attempting to juggle the ball in midfield, and then Trevoh Chalobah rushed up to help, leaving a significant gap at the back.
Alexander Isak took advantage to level the score for the visitors. Nicolas Jackson had earlier given his team an early sixth-minute lead with a clever flick from Cole Palmer’s shot, directing it out of Martin Dubravka’s reach and into the bottom corner of the goal.
Cole Palmer notched his 13th goal of the season for Chelsea in the second half. After receiving a pass from Enzo Fernandez, Palmer spun around and with a powerful strike found the back of the net, giving his side a 2-1 advantage.
Mudryk then conjured up some magic for the crucial moment of the match but Chelsea still had a late worry when Jacob Murphy fired a stunner into the top corner. But the hosts managed to hang on for victory.
Pochettino said after: “We need to understand that we are Chelsea. We are in a project that is completely different (to the past). Some people might be confused. When people don’t want to listen, it’s difficult.
“But we are trying to explain we are a different Chelsea, we are building something different. It’s going to be tough.”
Encouraging his squad, he reminded them: “We need to keep believing, even when it’s tough circumstances. We played (the Carabao Cup) final, 120 minutes, then after three days we play the FA Cup and we play Brentford. In six days we played three very tough games, nearly with the same team.
“It was really tough. If that means we are a disaster, OK. The most important thing is it’s not affecting the team. They know what they need to do and we keep believing.”
Mauricio Pochettino has hit out at Chelsea supporters for chanting the name of old manager Jose Mourinho during a tricky run of form for the Blues.
Last weekend’s draw against Brentford was the 16th time from 26 games in the Premier League this season that Chelsea have dropped points. A remarkable record, not least because of the results and subsequent success supporters of the west London outfit have become used to in recent years.
Of course, one of their most impactful managers during the modern era was Mourinho himself, with the Portuguese manager guiding Chelsea to eight major honours across two separate spells as boss. He is a much-loved figure at the capital club and one supporters have been recently yearning for with reminiscent chants.
“I respect Jose, he is my friend. He was amazing for this club, his medals here are amazing,” Pochettino said when asked about the Mourinho chants.
“We need to be pushing and believe in us and accept the things that come from the fans. If the players believe that with another coach they can do better… maybe they can talk with the owner or sporting director.”
He added: “You need to ask the players. You can ask. Do you see me worried about this? No. Is it a problem of attitude? No. It is a problem? No. You can see in the way that they behave that they are behind us. Of course there is no doubt.”
It comes at a crucial point in Pochettino’s Chelsea career, with rumours about his future continuing to spread. There has been talk that if Chelsea fail to qualify for Europe next season, be that in the Champions League or any of the Europa competitions, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss could be sacked less than one season into the job.
Despite this, Pochettino has doubled down on his suitability for the role, suggesting the Chelsea he’s currently in charge of is much different to the one Mourinho managed: “It is a different project, today is a different Chelsea. My mistake is to accept to come here if you say to me (it is not). Because if you are going to judge us compared to the past of Chelsea, no one is going to win. People need to understand.
“It is completely unfair to compare different periods of the club. The circumstances are different today than in the past. I came here because I knew it was going to be tough but always knew we would need time and belief. The project is about young players and a new team, to build a new team, always you need time.”
Chelsea CEO Chris Jursaek reportedly left staff members shocked by admitting he is not a football fan and he views the sport as a ‘product’.
Blues supporters have vented their anger at owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in recent weeks as they stagger to the end of a disappointing second season.
The owners’ predecessor, Roman Abramovich, oversaw a hugely successful period at Stamford Bridge comprising multiple Champions League and Premier League triumphs. Boehly’s arrival came with unprecedented investment in the playing squad.
But a collection of the world’s finest young stars have so far found it difficult to gel on the pitch, and Chelsea are on course for a second consecutive bottom-half Premier League finish.
American businessman Jurasek was brought on board to become Chelsea’s CEO after Boehly and Clearlake’s £4.25billion acquisition, and according to The Daily Mail, he surprised members of staff during a meeting with new starters.
When asked whether he is a Chelsea fan, Jurasek reportedly claimed that he is ‘not really a football fan’ at all, adding that he views the sport as a ‘product and our fans as customers – which people get mad at’.
The news of Jurasek’s striking claims sparked a passionate response on social media, with @willreyner writing on X: “Good lord, every piece of news makes me feel more and more depressed and disconnected.”
Meanwhile, @PopSarah added: “Unacceptable! I wish Roman had sold Chelsea to Jim Ratcliffe even though he came in late to the bidding process. [Behdad] Eghbali is the real problem, much more than Boehly. He is the one hiring these ridiculous corporate types who have no place in a football club of any level.”
Arsenal are reportedly one of the teams interested in star defender Ousmane Diomande who has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea.
Mikel Arteta’s side has been nothing short of phenomenal since the turn of the year but despite their relentless goalscoring form, it is their defence which has been the backbone of their stellar performances.
The Gunners boast the best defensive record in the league conceding just 23 league goals so far with only three of them coming in their last seven games.
There is an argument to say that William Saliba and Gabriel are the best defensive partnership in all of Europe but Arteta is reportedly keen on bolstering their defensive line further.
According to a report from Team Talk, the North London club are interested in Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande and could make a move for the defender if Chelsea pulls out of the running.
After it was revealed that the Blues suffered a £90 million loss in last year’s accounts, questions have been asked about their ability to meet financial fair play rules.
With a plethora of young defenders already at the club, Chelsea may pull out of the running depending on sales in the upcoming summer window.
The 20-year-old centre-back is considered one of the most promising young defenders in Europe with Newcastle and Juventus also linked with the player.
Cole Palmer is fully behind Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea plan and claims too much emphasis is being placed on their results.
The Blues spent big again in the summer, Palmer being one of their recruits, taking their outlay under Todd Boehly to more than £1billion. Pochettino has also come in as manager but the west Londoners have been resigned to another season of mid-table mediocrity.
Chelsea look certain to miss out on silverware and the Champions League for a second successive campaign as they continue to face mounting criticism. Fans sang against Boehly and Pochettino during Saturday’s draw at Brentford but Palmer has come out fighting and maintains a plan is in place.
He told ESPN at last week’s London Football Awards: “I feel like you guys don’t see it every day on the training pitch, what we do. On a Saturday, if we don’t get a result then it is all ‘Chelsea’s this, Chelsea’s that’ which I understand because obviously football can be like that but I think what we’re building, the fans will see what we’re doing.
“The manager has said to us – and the players are not stupid – we see every day what the fans say and stuff so he’s said to us stick together, you believe in us, the players believe in the manager as well and eventually we’ll see it.”
Palmer has been a rare bright light for Chelsea this term. He scored twice for City early in the season to help deliver silverware but chose to become a regular at Stamford Bridge rather than a squad player under Pep Guardiola, which has ended with him becoming the Blues’ leading light.
He’s already scored 12 times this term as he looks to propel Chelsea forward. The 21-year-old insists he was sold by the vision at Stamford Bridge, adamant that the players they are signing will aid the club’s ambitions and wanted to be part of it.
Palmer said: “[It was] the project that they said to me. I understood it. I saw a vision of what they were trying to do. You could see with the players they were buying. People thought ‘oh there’s a load of players there, you’re not going to play there, there’s a load of players coming or going, it’s a mess’ but I thought what they explained to me was good. So when I had the chance to go, I thought I’d go.”
There are reports in England that Chelsea fans singing for Jose Mourinho should not expect a reunion, with sources on both sides playing down the chances of the three-time Premier League winner ever returning to Stamford Bridge.
The name of the out-of-work 61-year-old was chanted during Saturday’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Brentford while supporters also called for Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking at the Gtech Community Stadium.
According to the Daily Mail, contacts close to Mourinho have refused to say whether he would or would not be willing to come back, though they believe there is no appetite from Chelsea to appoint him for a third term.
Insiders at the club have echoed that statement, one individual involved in the new project suggesting it would send the wrong message if they returned to the face of the old ownership.
Instead, Mail Sport reported in February how Chelsea have a long-standing interest in a different Portuguese manager – Ruben Amorim of Sporting Lisbon. Amorim is expected to have several other offers this summer, however, with Liverpool among those linked in their search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
Chelsea insist they are still backing Pochettino, who faces a nervy end to his first campaign in charge. The hierarchy are naturally wary of what happened last season when they sacked Graham Potter in April and won only one of their remaining 10 Premier League games to finish 12th.
Mourinho, who led Roma to successive European finals during his time at the club, was sacked by the Italian giants in February after slipping to ninth in the Serie A table.
The acrimonious exit concluded with Mourinho leaving a brutal nine-word note, which read: “When you are men, give it back to me.”
As far as Chelsea are concerned, it appears unlikely the west London club will ‘give back’ the managerial role according to insiders, despite Mourinho boasting the most successful portfolio at Stamford Bridge during the Premier League era.
Mauricio Pochettino admitted he does not feel loved by Chelsea fans but is not worried by it after supporters called for him to go in their 2-2 draw at Brentford.
Axel Disasi rescued a point with a late header but only after Brentford had produced a second-half turnaround with strikes from Mads Roerslev and Yoane Wissa cancelled out Nicolas Jackson’s opener.
Chelsea fans chanted against co-owner Todd Boehly, sung the name of Jose Mourinho and called for Pochettino to go while their side trailed at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Asked in his post-match press conference if he was worried about his relationship with the supporters, Pochettino said: “I am not worried. We need to accept this relationship.
“Someone asked me, ‘You feel the love from the fans?’ No. We need to build our relationship. You build your relationship by winning games but at the moment we are not matching the expectation. Normally in football, you pay with the coach or with the people above.”
Pochettino said he had not heard the chants and added: “It’s normal, we were losing the game 2-1 and they expressed their frustration. Of course, I am responsible, I am the head coach.”