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ROMAN ABRAMOVICH HANDS STEWARDSHIP AND CARE OF CHELSEA TO CLUB’S TRUSTEES

Roman Abramovich has handed the “stewardship and care” of Chelsea to the club’s foundation trustees.

Abramovich will remain as Chelsea’s owner, but will not be involved in any decision making at the Stamford Bridge club.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich has taken the decision to protect Chelsea from continued links to the wider situation of Russia’s war with Ukraine, the PA news agency understands.

Chelsea’s senior leadership set-up will not change, it is understood, with chairman Bruce Buck now the west London club’s most senior figure.

“During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities,” read a statement from Abramovich.

“I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values.

“That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.

“I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the club, players, staff, and fans.”

Abramovich’s step backwards will not have any bearing on any possible UK government sanctions, but was a decision understood to have been taken solely in Chelsea’s interests.

Labour MP Chris Bryant claimed in the House of Commons on Thursday that the UK government should seize Abramovich’s assets and remove the 55-year-old from Chelsea’s ownership.

Abramovich did not apply for a renewal of his UK work visa in 2018, leading to a period of time where he was rarely seen in London.

In October 2021, Abramovich visited Stamford Bridge for a Say No To Anti-Semitism event, in support of Chelsea’s long-running campaign against racism and hatred.

Abramovich then attended Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea in action in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United in November, and was on hand in Abu Dhabi when the Blues won the Club World Cup final on February 12.

Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 and has help turn the Blues into one of Europe’s most successful club sides.

Chelsea have won 19 major titles since Abramovich took control of the west Londoners.

In a statement, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust said it was “seeking urgent clarification” on the implications of Abramovich’s statement.

“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust is deeply saddened and shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent loss of life,” the statement read.

“We note Mr Abramovich’s statement (26.2.22) and are seeking urgent clarification on what this statement means for the running of Chelsea FC.

“The CST board are ready to work with the trustees of The Chelsea Foundation in order to ensure the long-term interest of the club and supporters.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine.”

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WATFORD 1-4 CRYSTAL PALACE: ZAHA BRACE HELPS PALACE ENDS WINLESS RUN

Wilfired Zaha scored twice as Crystal Palace earned a first win in six Premier League matches with a 4-1 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Jean-Philippe Mateta put Palace ahead on 15 minutes when his left-footed shot deflected off Kiko Femenia and flew beyond goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Watford hit back with an equaliser three minutes later through Moussa Sissoko, who met Femenia’s corner to head in his first goal for the club.

Palace restored their lead in spectacular style on 42 minutes, when Connor Gallagher expertly controlled a cross from Tyrick Mitchell before blasting into the roof of the net.

Emmanuel Dennis spurned a great opportunity to equalise before Zaha struck twice in the final five minutes.

First, Zaha controlled a Jordan Ayew cross and fired in, before he went on a solo run and brilliantly found the bottom-right corner of the net.

Palace move up to 11th on 29 points, while Watford drop to 19th with 18 points, four adrift of safety.

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MEE’S GOAL GIVES BURNLEY VICTORY OVER SPURS

Ben Mee’s second-half header secured a 1-0 win for Burnley over Tottenham Hotspur to give their hopes of staying up a huge boost.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, Spurs almost took the lead at the start of the second half, but Harry Kane’s header came back off the crossbar.

Spurs upped the pressure as Ben Davies fired an effort straight at Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope in the 64th minute.

But it was the Clarets who took the lead on 71 minutes as captain Mee rose highest to nod Josh Brownhill’s free-kick beyond Hugo Lloris.

Mee almost doubled his tally, twice getting shots away at another set-piece before Jay Rodriguez fired over from close range.

Successive victories mean Burnley rise to 18th position on 20 points, two behind 17th-placed Newcastle United with one match in hand.

Spurs are eighth on 39 points, seven adrift of Manchester United, in fourth, with a couple of matches in hand.

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LIVERPOOL HUMILIATE LEEDS IN 6-0 VICTORY, MAKES STATEMENT FOR TITLE CHASE

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane netted twice each as Liverpool beat Leeds United 6-0 to move within three points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Salah fired Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes following a handball by Stuart Dallas.

The Egyptian turned provider on the half-hour mark, producing a pinpoint pass for centre-back Joel Matip, who sublimely lifted the ball over Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

On 35 minutes, Salah netted his second spot-kick of the match after Mane had been fouled by Luke Ayling.

Mane struck twice in the final 10 minutes, slotting in from Jordan Henderson’s centre before tapping in after Divock Origi’s saved effort had fallen into his path.

Virgil van Dijk, who has now equalled Lee Sharpe’s Premier League record of being unbeaten in all 59 of his home matches for one club, completed the scoring with a header from Andrew Robertson’s corner in stoppage time.

Liverpool are second on 60 points, three behind Manchester City, but now have a superior goal difference.

Leeds stay 15th on 23 points, only three points above the bottom three.

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UCL: VILLAREAL HOLD JUVENTUS AFTER DUSAN VLAHOVIC’S EARLY STRIKE

Dusan Vlahovic lived up to the hype by scoring 32 seconds into his Champions League debut on Tuesday but Juventus have work to do to make the last 16 after being held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal in the first leg. Vlahovic found the corner with just his second touch of the game at La Ceramica but a sensational start for Juve and the Serb’s Champions League career was not enough for victory. Instead, Villarreal’s Dani Parejo steered in a deserved equaliser midway through the second half to leave a compelling contest in the balance ahead the return leg in Turin.

At 22 years and 25 days old, Vlahovic is the second youngest player to score on their Champions League debut for Juventus after Alessandro Del Piero made his mark aged 20.

“He’s young, this is his first Champions League match,” said Juve’s Alvaro Morata. “Imagine the career he has ahead of him.”

Vlahovic was signed for an initial 70 million euros from Fiorentina in January and to huge excitement, with Juve toasting the arrival of one of the world’s most coveted young talents.

Juventus coach Max Allegri had tried to reduce expectations on Monday by insisting the striker would have to adapt psychologically and technically to the intensity of the Champions League – but Vlahovic needed less than a minute to find his feet.

It was his second goal in five appearances for Juve after he scored 12 minutes into his debut against Verona earlier this month, following a blistering 25 goals in 31 games for Fiorentina.

“When you play against this type of team, with top players, you can’t give them even half an inch. It was a great goal,” said Parejo.

Juventus will be favourites to finish the job at home next month but a well-organised and disciplined Villarreal, who won the Europa League last season, showed enough to suggest an upset is far from impossible.

“We feel a bit of frustration. You need to win at home,” said Villarreal’s Etienne Capoue. “But I think this team has the strength and mentality to win there. It’s difficult but we can do it.”

Nine Juventus players had not yet touched the ball when it hit the back of the Villarreal net.

Villarreal had stroked the ball back and across the pitch from kick-off but it was their ninth pass that went astray, Alberto Moreno choosing to dummy when he thought Arnaut Danjuma was behind him, only to find Danjuma had sprinted away.

Danilo intercepted and instantly drove a ball over the top, where Vlahovic had sped between Raul Albiol and Pau Torres. Vlahovic chested down and looked well-marshalled, with Torres tracking him across, but the striker fired early on the turn and the ball slid crisply into the far corner.

Half of the Villarreal team were yet to have a touch but they responded, dictating possession and tempo while Samuel Chukwueze went close, a flicked finish flashing wide of the near post.

Juventus were compact and organised while up front, Vlahovic remained a brooding presence. He held up three defenders in the area and laid back for Manuel Locatelli but the midfielder shot over.

Leonardo Bonucci, fit again after recovering from injury, replaced Alex Sandro at half-time but Villarreal finally found an equaliser in the 66th minute. Etienne Capoue held the ball in midfield and looked short of ideas, until Parejo spotted a gap and darted in behind.

Capoue lifted the ball over the top to the midfielder, who swung his left foot, a scuffed finish enough to beat Wojciech Szczesny at the near post.

The game tightened up late on as neither team wanted to risk opening themselves up, preferring to defer to the rematch in Turin.

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CHELSEA BEAT LILLE 2-0 IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 FIRST LEG CLASH

Chelsea showed they can thrive without Romelu Lukaku as Kai Havertz scored after replacing the axed Belgium striker for the 2-0 Champions League last-16, first-leg win against Lille on Tuesday. Thomas Tuchel’s side took control of the tie thanks to Havertz’s first-half header and Christian Pulisic’s clinical finish after the break at Stamford Bridge.

The holders will expect to complete their progress to the quarter-finals when they travel to France for the second leg on March 16. But Chelsea’s sixth successive win in all competitions was more a referendum on their Lukaku conundrum than an indication of their chances of retaining the trophy.

Lukaku has scored just 10 goals since a club record £97 million ($131 million) move from Inter Milan last year that was expected to launch a period of sustained dominance for Chelsea.

He touched the ball only seven times in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, the lowest total by a Premier League player since 2003-04.

Despite being infuriated in December by Lukaku’s public questioning of the way he was being used, Tuchel had appeared to back him on Monday, insisting his problems were no laughing matter.

But, tellingly, Chelsea were more potent in Lukaku’s absence and it remains to be seen if Tuchel will trust his beleaguered star in the League Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday.

At least Tuchel knows Chelsea have the ammunition to damage opponents while their supposed leading man labours.

“For Kai, I’m very pleased. He’s been very strong for several weeks now. He really stepped up. The work rate is immense. The areas of the pitch he covers for us is very good. He is never shy of defending,” Tuchel said.

“Romelu struggled in the last game to deliver. Not only mentally tired, but physically, which I can understand. It was the moment to take a step back.

“Today we went with other players. For Sunday we have four days to recover and decide who plays.”

Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi paraded the Club World Cup around the pitch just before kick-off.

However, that victory in Abu Dhabi will be only a footnote in the story of Chelsea’s season if they don’t mount a strong finish to an inconsistent campaign.

This was a step in the right direction and Havertz didn’t take long to get involved.

Cesar Azpilicueta’s low cross was begging to be finished off, but the German forward poked his effort over the bar from six yards.

If that was a concern for Tuchel, he would have been relieved that Havertz looked more threatening as he cut inside for a fierce strike which Leo Jardim pushed away at full stretch.

From the resulting corner, Havertz gave Chelsea an eighth-minute lead.

Taking advantage of Lille’s woeful marking, Havertz met Hakim Ziyech’s corner with a downward header that bounced in for his seventh goal this season.

Havertz, more forceful and energetic than Lukaku on current form, needed just 15 minutes to record more touches than the Belgian managed in the entire Palace game.

After an initial bout of stage-fright, the French champions probed intelligently for openings, with Benjamin Andre’s long-range drive held by Edouard Mendy.

Tuchel’s agitated body language betrayed his frustration at Chelsea’s failure to build on their lead in the first half.

However, he got his message across and there was more urgency about Chelsea after the interval.

Marcos Alonso’s goalbound drive was diverted to safety by Zeki Celik before Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic were forced off.

Chelsea weren’t hindered by the injuries and doubled their lead with a sweeping counter-attack in the 63rd minute.

Thiago Silva started the incisive raid with a superb pass to N’Golo Kante, who advanced at speed towards the Lille area before slipping a pass to Pulisic.

Taking two touches, Pulisic steadied himself and clipped a composed finish past Jardim from 10 yards.

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WEGHORST OPENS GOAL ACCOUNT AS BURNLEY BEAT BRIGHTON TO CLIMB OFF THE BOTTOM

Wout Weghorst scored his first goal for Burnley and created another as Sean Dyche’s side earned an impressive 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion to move off the bottom of the table.

Connor Roberts came close to breaking the deadlock for Burnley on 10 minutes but, after spotting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez off his line, his effort came back off the crossbar.

January signing Weghorst opened his account for the club on 21 minutes, firing in superbly from the edge of the area.

The Dutchman then turned provider five minutes before the break, flicking on a long ball to Josh Brownhill, whose shot took two deflections before going in for his first Premier League goal in 63 appearances.

Aaron Lennon added a wonderful third on 69 minutes when he rifled a powerful shot into the top corner.

Their second win of the campaign takes Burnley up to 19th on 17 points, five from safety with two matches in hand.

Brighton lie ninth with 33 points.

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SALAH HITS RECORD GOAL AS DIAZ, MANE STAR IN WIN OVER NORWICH

Mohamed Salah scored his 150th goal for Liverpool and Luis Diaz struck his first for the club as the Reds came from behind to beat Norwich City 3-1 at Anfield.

Liverpool had the better of the first-half opportunities with Norwich’s Angus Gunn called upon to deny Sadio Mane and Konstantinos Tsimikas.

But Norwich shocked the hosts when they went ahead on 48 minutes through Milot Rashica’s deflected shot.

Liverpool rallied with two goals in four minutes. Mane equalised with an overhead kick from Tsimikas’s cushioned header on 64 minutes. Salah then collected a long pass from Alisson to finish with his right foot from outside the area.

Diaz opened his Liverpool account nine minutes from time to seal the Reds’ fifth successive league win which puts them six points behind Man City with a match in hand on the leaders.

Successive defeats send Norwich to the bottom of the table with 17 points.

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ASTON VILLA 0-1 WATFORD: DENNIS GIVES WATFORD FIRST LEAGUE WIN UNDER HODGSON

Emmanuel Dennis scored the only goal as Watford beat Aston Villa for their first win under Roy Hodgson to climb to within four points of Premier League safety.

The first opening of note fell to the Hornets striker, who forced a smart low save from Emiliano Martinez on 15 minutes.

In a first half of few chances, Danny Ings came closest to breaking the deadlock, hitting the outside of the post after being put through by Emiliano Buendia.

Moussa Sissoko found the side-netting on 56 minutes before Buendia tested Ben Foster at the other end as both teams pushed for an opening goal.

It was the visitors who struck with 12 minutes remaining. Dennis beat Ashley Young to Ismaila Sarr’s chipped pass to head the ball past Martinez for his ninth goal of the season.

Josh King missed a close-range chance to double Watford’s lead but they held on for a first win since November that lifts them to 18th, on 18 points, four adrift of Newcastle United.

Villa stay 12th with 27 points.

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HAKIM ZIYECH STRIKES LATE AS CHELSEA SNATCH WIN AT CRYSTAL PALACE

Hakim Ziyech struck an 89th-minute winner to help new world champions Chelsea earn a narrow 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Video assistant referee had denied the Morocco international earlier in the second half when Romelu Lukaku, who only had seven touches at Selhurst Park, was deemed to be offside.

It looked like being another frustrating afternoon for Thomas Tuchel’s side until Ziyech netted to build momentum after their Club World Cup success in Abu Dhabi with three points in the Premier League, which strengthens their stranglehold on third position.

Chelsea’s numerous cup commitments meant this was their first top-flight fixture since January 23 and any faint title hopes they had after a 2-0 win over Tottenham last month had virtually evaporated now.

The late withdrawals of Cesar Azpilicueta and Callum Hudson-Odoi weakened the visitors in south London but Palace had problems of their own with Joel Ward and Blues loanee Conor Gallagher unavailable.

It resulted in Vieira switching formation to a 4-2-3-1 with Michael Olise recalled and he nearly opened the scoring after seven minutes.

Wilfried Zaha, deployed down the middle, found Olise on the right but after he worked a yard of space up against Antonio Rudiger, he could only drag his effort wide from eight yards.

Tuchel’s side responded with Christian Pulisic blazing over a half volley before Rudiger’s spectacular effort from more than 35 yards forced a fine save by Vicente Guaita.

N’Golo Kante was the next player to be presented with an opportunity after 20 minutes following a wonderful through ball by the recalled Malang Sarr but the World Cup winner fired straight at Guaita and it was the hosts who finished the first 45 strongly.

Three corners in quick succession lifted the atmosphere inside a wet and wind-battered Selhurst Park before a big opportunity was created prior to half-time.

Zaha timed his run and was found by Olise’s perfectly-weighted pass but with the angle tight, the Ivory Coast international could only fire past the post with just Edouard Mendy to beat.

Palace were forced into a change at the break with Jack Butland introduced for first-choice goalkeeper Guaita and he was braced for action when Kai Havertz was fouled a yard outside the area but Ziyech’s subsequent effort hit the wall.

Lukaku had cut a frustrated figure in south London and only touched the ball on four occasions by the hour mark, one being kick-off.

When Ziyech produced a telling cross into the area soon after which the £97million was nowhere near, Tuchel had seen enough and made a triple change.

Despite his lack of touches, Lukaku survived the cull to remain on the pitch and it almost paid dividends instantly.

Substitute Mateo Kovacic’s first touch was a pass into Lukaku, who saw a shot saved by Butland and Ziyech was on hand to tap home the rebound.

Chelsea’s joy was cut short though by VAR with the goal ruled out because Lukaku had been offside, which sparked celebrations from the home crowd.

Tuchel’s new world champions would not be denied and it was another substitute who created the winner.

Marcos Alonso spotted Ziyech unmarked at the back post and found the former Ajax attacker who volleyed in for his seventh goal of the season.

Zaha went close again almost straight from kick-off but Palace lost for a ninth consecutive time to Chelsea and remain in 13th.