Tag: CHELSEA

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CHELSEA FORWARD, JOAO FELIX JOINS AC MILAN ON LOAN FOR REST OF SEASON

Chelsea forward Joao Felix has joined AC Milan on loan for the remainder of the season, six months after moving to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid.

It has been an underwhelming second spell in west London for the Portugal international, who since his £46million move in August has largely been limited to substitute appearances in the Premier League, with six of his nine starts coming in cup competitions.

The deal with the Serie A side includes a £5m loan fee and does not come with an obligation to buy.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has repeatedly said chances for the former Barcelona player have been restricted by Cole Palmer, who has started all 24 league games this season in the number 10 position, Felix’s preferred role.

He has scored seven goals since rejoining the club for whom he played on loan in the second half of the 2022-23 season.

Of those only one has come in the league, the sixth goal in Chelsea’s 6-2 victory away against Wolves on his first appearance back.

He scored four times in the Conference League, helping the team progress to the last 16 in first place, while he also netted twice in the FA Cup third round against Morecambe in January.

Despite arriving to great fanfare following a successful loan spell at Barcelona, the 25-year-old has not settled, with his inconsistent performances when picked reminiscent of his troubled first spell at the club.

That the majority of his starts have come in Maresca’s second-string cup selections has long pointed to a possible exit, which has now been confirmed.

A club statement said: “Chelsea forward Joao Felix will spend the remainder of the season on loan at Serie A side AC Milan.
He becomes the fifth former Chelsea player in head coach Sergio Conceicao’s squad alongside Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Meanwhile Chelsea have confirmed the signing of St Etienne midfielder Mathis Amougou for £12.5million.

The 19-year-old, who has agreed an eight-year deal, was part of the team that won promotion from the second tier last season and moves having made 17 appearances this term in Ligue 1.
He is expected to join up with Maresca’s first-team squad.

“I’m very happy,” Amougou said. “It’s an honour for me to sign for such a big club like Chelsea.

“They believe in young players and the process they have in place to develop us is fantastic.”

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ENZO MARESCA UNBOTHERED ABOUT CHELSEA’S TITLE CHANCES, BELIEVES MAN CITY CAN STILL COMPETE

Enzo Maresca has backed Manchester City to bounce back into Premier League title contention and said it is “just reality” that Chelsea are not in the hunt themselves.

Maresca’s Blues host Fulham on Boxing Day lying second in the table, and are only four points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one match more.

City have won the league for the past four seasons but they have been cast 12 points adrift of the summit following a miserable run which has seen them lose nine times in their previous 12 outings.

However, Maresca, who worked alongside Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, said: “Manchester City at the end will be there. They are in a moment that has never happened before.

“Every time they play a game, they have an injury, and they don’t have enough players at this moment. And the ones they have are not 100 per cent because they have just come back from injury, so it is a very bad situation.

“We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have, but the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team.”

Maresca, who has continually played down his side’s aspirations for glory, added: “It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.

“I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not.”

Liverpool are ready to capitalise on City’s demise, while Arsenal, who are six points off top spot, are set to be without star man Bukayo Saka for a sustained period after he suffered a hamstring tear.

Asked if it was Liverpool’s title to lose, Maresca said: “No, the reality says we are second at the halfway point, so the table does reflect the teams.

“But Liverpool have done a fantastic job since the first day, and the squad has lived that kind of moment, winning a trophy, which is important.

“Last year, when Liverpool faced Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final I saw the amount of finals that Liverpool players had played in, and the number of finals Chelsea players had played in, and there was a huge difference. So it shows the experience you need, but we are happy to be where we are.”

Chelsea will continue to be without winger Mykhailo Mudryk after he returned a positive drug test.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian, who has not played for a month, was spotted ringside for compatriot Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight title victory over Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia at the weekend.

“In this moment it is good that he can disconnect a little bit from the situation,” said Maresca. “The last time I spoke with him, we try to support him, and now we are just waiting.”

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YOUTHFUL CHELSEA BEAT ASTANA TO REMAIN TABLE LEADERS AT CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Chelsea all-but confirmed passage to the last 16 of the Conference League with a 3-1 win against Astana in Kazakhstan as Enzo Maresca handed full debuts to two academy graduates.

Defender Josh Acheampong, 18, and 19-year-old midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi each played for the club at under-eight level and enjoyed comfortable first starts in the senior team, as the visitors triumphed in temperatures of around minus 10 in the Kazakh capital Almaty.

Fellow teenager Marc Guiu, a relative veteran with six previous Chelsea starts, scored twice inside the opening 18 minutes before Renato Veiga headed in his second for the club before half-time.

Astana were themselves playing 600 miles from home as their regular stadium underwent renovations, and they gave those who had made the arduous journey reason for cheer when Croatian striker Marin Tomasov pinged one in off the post in a moment of rare quality from the hosts.

Maresca handed a second senior start to 18-year-old Tyrique George and left at home the majority of the XI that started Sunday’s 4-3 win over Tottenham, with Pedro Neto – who is suspended for the weekend’s meeting with Brentford – the only player to make the 7,000-mile round-trip.

Neto had Chelsea’s first chance in freezing conditions in Kazakhstan, skating in off the right and striking low towards the near post, goalkeeper Mukhammedzhan Seysen dropping low to his left to save.

Guiu’s opener was a fine solo effort. Collecting the ball almost on the touchline wide on the right, he stood up the full-back Aleksandr Marochkin before powering beyond him into the box and prodding the ball inside the post for his second Chelsea goal.

Astana were already looking hopelessly stretched. Neto was next to take advantage, rocketing around the outside of his defender and crossing low towards Guiu. Seysen dived to get hands on the ball but could only turn it back into danger where it ricocheted between Guiu and Marochkin and over the line.

Carney Chukwuemeka had a shot deflected wide after being given space but Astana did not heed the warning. From the resulting corner, Veiga was given the freedom of Almaty to rise and plant his header past the goalkeeper.

A torrid night for Astana was made more palatable when Tomasov slipped the attentions of Veiga and rifled in the goal of night, his strike sailing up and wide of Filip Jorgensen’s reach and in off the post.

Ato Ampah replaced Neto in the second half for his first senior Chelsea appearance, while Harvey Vale was sent on for a first appearance since 2022.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fizzed an effort inches wide as he sought his second goal since joining in the summer, as Chelsea eased off their hosts in the second half.

Forward Shim Mheuka was also handed a Chelsea debut aged 17 to become the club’s second youngest player in Europe behind Dominic Solanke, then 18-year-old midfielder Kiano Dyer completed the roster of those making their bow in blue.

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CHELSEA CAPTAIN REECE JAMES SUFFERS ANOTHER INJURY PROBLEM

Chelsea captain Reece James has suffered another injury setback and could face more time on the sidelines.

The 24-year-old-right-back only returned to action in October after missing the start of the season.

But boss Enzo Maresca revealed James will miss Saturday’s trip to Leicester after feeling something in his hamstring.

Maresca hopes the problem is not serious, but given the player’s injury history the club will not take any risks.

“Reece, unfortunately, felt something small and we don’t want to take any risks this weekend,” he said.

“Hopefully it’s not something longer. He felt something, he has to be out and then we’ll see. It’s his hamstring, a muscle problem.”

James has struggled throughout his career to string a consistent amount of matches together, but Maresca hopes that will eventually change.

“For sure,” he added. “But in this moment is not happening.”

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CHELSEA HUMILIATE ARMENIAN SIDE, NOAH IN A MERCILESS EIGHT-GOAL THUMPING

Chelsea swept past Armenian side Noah as Enzo Maresca’s second string turned in a merciless attacking display to win 8-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The Europa Conference League had been a testing ground for the head coach to ply his enviable strength in depth and, having hit four in each of their first two matches, his stand-ins raised the bar to blow the visiting team away with six goals scored in the first half demonstrating a chasmic gulf in class

Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Guiu celebrated first Chelsea goals since joining, Joao Felix grabbed the opportunity to impress with two more, while there were goals too for Axel Disasi and, most impressively, Mykhailo Mudryk whose curler from outside the box was the pick of them.

Christopher Nkunku scored twice after the break, one of them a penalty, to cement his spot at the head of Chelsea’s scoring charts.

Noah boss Rui Mota said before kick-off that his team had not come to London simply to defend and the first half lent a bitter irony to those words, as Chelsea tore into the Armenians with unimagined ease.

Four times inside the opening 21 minutes besieged visiting goalkeeper Ognjen Chancharevich picked the ball out of his net, first when Adarabioyo lost his man at a corner and stooped to glance Enzo Fernandez’s cross across goal and in.

Defender Goncalo Silva gave the ball away virtually from the kick-off allowing Guiu to steal in and double the lead, then Disasi headed a near identical goal to the first, making the most of another Fernandez delivery to notch his fourth Chelsea goal.

Noah had actually had the first opportunity of the match, Goncalo Gregorio lashing the ball straight at Filip Jorgensen after a speedy counter-attack, and though their defence was an incoherent mess there were moments of competence in the attacking third that briefly worried Chelsea.

That early threat was a distant memory by the time Felix grabbed the first of his two goals and it was another error by the hapless Silva, losing possession tamely and allowing Fernandez – captain for the night having lost his place in Maresca’s Premier League XI – to feed Felix for a simple finish.

That made it four goals in a blitzkrieg nine-minute spell, a signal for Chelsea briefly to pull back. If they intended to go easy thereafter on Noah, no one had told Mudryk, who lashed in a fifth as sublime as any this ground had seen on European nights.

Felix’s drive may have been going wide before captain Hovhannes Hambartsumyan swung a leg and diverted it into the corner for 6-0.

The only thing missing had been a goal for Nkunku. He was denied twice in the second half, first by Chancharevich then by the crossbar as he sought his ninth of the campaign.

Finally his luck turned 20 minutes from time when the ball rebounded back to him off the goalkeeper for him to squeak the rebound inside the near post.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall won a penalty allowing the France international to complete the rout.

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CHELSEA SIGNS GOALKEEPER FILIP JORGENSEN FROM VILLAREAL

Chelsea have completed the signing of Danish goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal on a seven-year deal.

Jorgensen, a Denmark Under-21 international, is the Blues’ eighth summer signing under new boss Enzo Maresca and will provide competition for current goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.

Chelsea said on their official website: “The 22-year-old has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues and joins up with his new team-mates during our summer tour of the USA.”

Filip Jorgensen in action for Villareal

Jorgensen, born in Sweden, progressed through Villarreal’s youth set up and made 37 appearances for the Spanish club in all competitions last season after making his LaLiga debut in January 2023.

He added: “This move is a dream come true. I am very excited to have signed for Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world

“I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to start playing with all my new team-mates.”

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley and Estevao Willian have all arrived at Stamford Bridge since the end of last season.

Former Leicester boss Maresca was appointed as Chelsea’s head coach in June following the departure by mutual consent of Mauricio Pochettino.

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MASON MOUNT STARS AS CHELSEA RETURN TO WINNING WAYS AGAINST BOURNEMOUTH

Chelsea put their pre-World Cup blues behind them as England duo Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount starred in a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth.

Graham Potter was in desperate need of a win following the three straight Premier League defeats which had left his side outside the top six at Christmas for only the second time in 22 seasons.

But there were encouraging signs that Potter has put the six-week break to good use as Chelsea stylishly put their bogey side to the sword.

Bournemouth had won on three of their last five visits to Stamford Bridge but they never looked like repeating the feat in Gary O’Neil’s first match as permanent manager.

The only downside for the Blues was the sight of England defender Reece James, back from the knee injury which forced him to miss the World Cup, limping off injured again just after half-time.

The full-back had got himself quickly up to speed with one darting run and cross finding its way to Marc Cucurella, who chipped the ball back in for Kai Havertz to head just over the crossbar.

Chelsea had a decent penalty shout moments later when Adam Smith tugged at the shirt of Christian Pulisic, but neither referee Simon Hooper or the VAR were interested.

Nevertheless, Chelsea were well in control and took the lead after just 16 minutes when Mount fed his England colleague Sterling down the right.

Sterling fizzed a low ball across goal which Havertz, another of Chelsea’s returning Qatar contingent, slid in to squeeze beneath the diving Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers.

Seven minutes later Chelsea had a second, Havertz laying the ball back for Mount – making his 150th Chelsea start – to superbly curl beyond Travers from 20 yards.

There was confusion before half-time when a penalty appeal at both ends fell on deaf ears before Pulisic put the ball in the net, with the goal seemingly disallowed for a foul by Havertz on Smith.

Travers then ensured the deficit stayed at two with fine saves to deny James and Sterling.

James’ second half lasted just seven minutes before he went down, and the luckless 23-year-old looked close to tears as he trudged off.

Havertz should have had a second when he eased past Lloyd Kelly in the area only to drag his shot wide, before Travers saved another drive from Mount and Kalidou Koulibaly headed a cross from Cesar Azpilicueta narrowly off target.

Bournemouth battled gamely but without testing Kepa Arrizabalaga until the 79th minute when the Chelsea keeper saved from Ryan Christie at his near post, but it was ultimately a comfortable and satisfying win for Potter’s side.

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ROSS BARKLEY GIVES CHELSEA VICTORY IN FINAL GAME OF ABRAMOVICH ERA

Ross Barkley fired the final goal of the Roman Abramovich era as Chelsea edged past Watford 2-1 to tie up a third-place Premier League finish.

One-time England midfielder Barkley could leave Chelsea this summer, and the 28-year-old can be reasonably satisfied if this late winner becomes his Stamford Bridge sign-off.

Kai Havertz’s early tap-in had Chelsea in control until Dan Gosling headed home with two minutes on the clock.

Barkley quickly turned in Reece James’ cross however, to ensure that Chelsea just about ended their home Premier League campaign with more wins than draws.

Stamford Bridge played host to a last-day-of-term affair, with Watford already relegated and Chelsea only requiring to go through the motions to seal third spot.

Abramovich’s Chelsea tenure is now at an end, after 19 years and 21 trophies.

Incoming owner Todd Boehly was on hand at Stamford Bridge again, and finally saw the Blues win in person.

The US magnate was joined by Swiss billionaire and consortium partner Hansjorg Wyss, who enjoyed his first outing at the west London stadium.

Boehly and partners will hope their Chelsea takeover can finally be completed in the coming week, and certainly ahead of the May 31 deadline when the Blues’ temporary operating licence expires.

The end of the Abramovich era will also coincide with the final outing for several Chelsea stars, with Real Madrid-bound Toni Rudiger enjoying a standing ovation on his second-half substitution.

Brazil wing-back Kenedy enjoyed his first Premier League appearance for Chelsea since 2017, and provided the assist for Havertz’s goal.

The 26-year-old still has a year to run on his Chelsea deal, but his solid hour’s work here could yet prove his last appearance in blue.

Saul Niguez will return to Atletico Madrid too, after his Chelsea loan, and he kept shape in his last Blues run-out.

Barkley came off the bench as another who may have turned out for the last time, while Andreas Christensen was not in the squad but is headed to Barcelona.

Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta might just yet join Christensen at the Catalan giants, and after a decade with the Blues, the least the 32-year-old deserved was for this match to end in a home win.

Marcos Alonso was missing too and is yet another Blues star who Barcelona heavily covet.

Abramovich’s UK Government sanctions have left the Blues unable to sign existing players to new deals or to conduct any future transfer business for the last 11 weeks.

The uncertainty around the future ownership might be all-but resolved, but a nucleus of long-serving Chelsea players still do not know their fates.

And that meant neither players nor fans could enjoy the customary goodbye at the final whistle, but at least the home side pulled off the win.

Watford’s defeat spells the end of Roy Hodgson’s remarkable managerial career too, with the 74-year-old adamant that this time, he will retire for good.

The balmy weather did precious little to alleviate the end-of-term atmosphere both on and off the field.

Neither team faced any jeopardy going into the encounter, and neither side truly added any in a benign first-half.

Havertz had three golden chances in front of goal before the break, and put one of them away.

For the first, a slightly heavy initial touch from Mount’s ball over the top pushed him wide, and the shot was then easily deflected.

The second yield the only goal of the half, with the Germany forward tapping in from Kenedy’s driven cross.

Kenedy sent Havertz through again in the last move of the half, and the 22-year-old angled an effort against the bar.

Both sides coasted through the second-half, until Gosling headed in from Adam Masina’s cross.

That spurred the Blues into action to seek the win, and Barkley delivered, to cap a difficult campaign in at least victorious fashion.

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CHELSEA CLOSE ON THIRD PLACE DESPITE LEICESTER DRAW

Chelsea all but guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison fired Leicester into a sixth-minute lead from the edge of the penalty area before Marcos Alonso met a Reece James cross on the volley to restore parity on 34 minutes.

The hosts upped the ante after the interval with Romelu Lukaku heading wide, Christian Pulisic missing from close range and Antonio Rudiger being thwarted in a frenetic six-minute spell.

Further chances fell to Trevor Chalobah and James but the hosts were unable to find a winner.

The result takes Chelsea’s points to 71, three more than Tottenham Hotspur with the Blues boasting a superior goal difference.

Leicester stay ninth with 49 points from 37 matches.

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CHELSEA CLINCH THIRD STRAIGHT WSL WITH COME-FROM BEHIND WIN OVER MANCHESTER UNITED

Chelsea secured a third consecutive Barclays Women’s Super League championship as they came from behind twice to beat Manchester United 4-2 and hold off Arsenal’s title challenge.

The Gunners knew they could snatch the title on the final day of the WSL campaign if they achieved a better result against West Ham than the Blues could manage against the Red Devils.

It looked within their reach when Chelsea twice trailed to United at Kingsmeadow, first through Martha Thomas’ header and then an Ella Toone volley.

But the Blues roared back in the second period. Sam Kerr drew them level with a stunning volley, Guro Reiten’s close-range finish gave them the lead and another Kerr volley afforded them breathing space.

Arsenal did everything they could, securing a 2-0 win away to West Ham, but it proved to be in vain.

Jonas Eidevall’s team were in pole position at half-time, with the score in their match 0-0 while Chelsea trailed. However, the Blues’ recovery ultimately rendered second-half goals from Stina Blackstenius and Vivianne Miedema meaningless.

Miedema’s future with the Gunners is uncertain, with the Dutch star out of contract this summer.

Manchester City clinched the third Champions League berth with a 4-0 victory over Reading.

At kick-off they knew that if they lost and local rivals Manchester United won they would be pipped for third place, but City were comfortable by half-time after goals from Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw.

An 85th-minute goal from Ellen White and an added-time penalty from Alex Greenwood made the result safe, and means City head into next Sunday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea in fine form.

Tottenham consolidated fifth place with a 1-0 win over Leicester thanks to Ashleigh Neville’s goal early in the second half, while Brighton and Everton drew 1-1.

Nathalie Bjorn’s penalty in stoppage time gave the Toffees a half-time lead but it lasted just seven minutes after the restart when Aileen Whelan pulled Albion level.

Birmingham, who were already relegated to the Championship, ended the season on a high with a 1-0 win over midlands rivals Aston Villa.

Greek forward Veatriki Sarri netted the only goal in the 10th minute.