Football / Sports

Chelsea sack Thomas Tuchel after shock Champions League defeat by Dinamo Zagreb

Chelsea have sacked Thomas Tuchel in the wake of Tuesday’s chastening 1-0 Champions League defeat at Dinamo Zagreb, the Premier League club have announced.

German coach Tuchel led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 and the Club World Cup crown in 2022, but has paid the price for an indifferent start to the new campaign. New owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have worked hard all summer to impose their authority at Chelsea, but this represents the boldest and most sweeping change yet.…

Football / Sports

Chelsea sign Wesley Fofana on seven-year contract from Leicester City

Chelsea have completed the signing of Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana on a seven-year contract, the club announced on Wednesday.

On Saturday Chelsea agreed a fee in the region of £75 million for Fofana after Leicester demanded the same £80m fee they received for defender Harry Maguire when he moved to Manchester United in 2019.

Fofana, 21, joins Chelsea after spending the past two seasons at the King Power Stadium following his move from then-Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne.

“The two last days have been really big days for me and I’m very happy,” said Fofana after completing the move.

“I trained this morning with the team and it’s a dream for me. I’m very excited to start playing games for the fans and the club.

“I’m here to win trophies — the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything. I came here to win and the club is built to win trophies so I’m here to continue that.”

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly said the club is “delighted” to have Fofana joining their ranks.

“Wesley is a hugely promising defender who has already proven his quality in the Premier League at a young age,” Boehly said in an announcement.

“We are delighted we were able to bring one of Europe’s most exciting talents to Chelsea and further strengthen that area of our squad, both for this season and many more to come.”

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will welcome the arrival of Fofana after seeing centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leave this summer and admitting the club granted Marcos Alonso’s request to leave Stamford Bridge before the end of the transfer window.…

Football / Sports

Romeo Lavia helps Southampton beat Chelsea 2-1

Lavia left Premier League champions Manchester City in search of regular first-team football in the summer and made the move to the south coast for a fee of £11million

The Belgian grabbed his first senior goal on Tuesday night as Saints came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at St Mary’s, levelling the match shortly after Raheem Sterling’s opener in the first-half.

Adam Armstrong then put Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side the lead in first-half stoppage time and Saints held on to record their first home win of the season.

“He’s a player that is just so calm, so composed,” Benali said prior to kick-off. “He was bringing balls down in his own 18-yard box against Tottenham and picking passes out, he’s got that in his locker as well.

He’s got a bit of an engine around the middle of the park, not necessarily breaking forward too much but when he gets the ball at his feet, he can find those passes and break through the lines.

“He’s been really really impressive in the few games that we’ve seen him.”

Southampton fans are already over the moon with how Lavia has started his Southampton career but will now face a period of time without him in the side following his substitution due to injury on the hour mark vs Chelsea.

The 18-year-old had to be replaced by Joe Aribo for the final 30 minutes, with Hasenhuttl confirming after the final whistle that Lavia was now expected to miss a few weeks with injury.…

Football / Sports

Barcelona sign Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen on free transfers

Barcelona have confirmed the signings of Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on free transfers from AC Milan and Chelsea respectively.

Kessie, 25, has joined Barca on a four-year deal after his contract expired with Milan on June 30.

The midfielder has a €500 million release clause in his new contract, which runs to 2026. Barca will present him on Wednesday.

The Ivory Coast international’s move to Camp Nou ends his five-year stay at the Rossoneri where he made 224 appearances and scored 39 goals.

Kessie strengthens coach Xavi Hernandez’s options in midfield and will compete for a place in the team with Sergio Busquets, Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez.

After moving to Italy with Atalanta in 2015 and following a loan spell with Cesena, Kessie joined Milan on loan in 2017 before making the move permanently in 2019.

He played a central role this season as Milan won a first Serie A title in 11 years, scoring six times in 31 appearances, including one against Sassuolo last weekend as the league was wrapped up.

Meanwhile, Denmark international Christensen, 26, joins Barca after his contract expired with Chelsea last month.

The defender’s move to Camp Nou brings an end to his 10-year stay at Chelsea, where he made 161 first-team appearances.

Christensen strengthens the centre-back options for the club that includes Ronald Araujo, who recently signed a new long-term contract, Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia.

Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Oscar Mingueza all remain at the club, too,

After making his senior debut for Chelsea in 2014, Christensen completed a two-year loan spell at Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach between 2015 and 2017.

He has featured regularly under several different coaches since returning to Stamford Bridge, helping the club win the Europa League in 2019 and the Champions League in 2021.…

Football / Sports

Red Devils steal a point at Old Trafford

The Red Devils and Blues traded goals, only not in that order, as the hosts stole a point they didn’t deserve in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Marcos Alonso fired Chelsea ahead right on the hour mark, but Cristiano Ronaldo hit back in Manchester United’s only truly dangerous moment two minutes later.

The draw sees Chelsea (66 points) move to six points clear of 4th-place Arsenal (60 points) as everyone in the top-five, including Tottenham (58 points), has now played the same number of games (33) once again.

Manchester United vs Chelsea final score, stats, results

Final score: Man United 1, Chelsea 1

Goal scorers: Man United (Alonso 60′), Chelsea (Ronaldo 62′)

Shots: Man United 6, Chelsea 21

Shots on target: Man United 3, Chelsea 6

Possession: Man United 35%, Chelsea 65%

3 things we learned – Manchester United vs Chelsea

1. Fight drained from Man United players: To call Manchester United’s squad and tactics disjointed would be an incredible understatement. The players are not playing for interim manager Ralf Rangnick, so much as they appear to be playing in spite of him. They are not playing for one another either, and some don’t even appear to be motivated to perform for their own self-interests. There is only apathy and disdain. One player would press the ball while three others stood and watched, failing to rotate and fill in any space and/or passing lanes by which the opposing player might try to escape. There’s not a player in the Premier League who can’t successfully play his way out of a one-man “press,” and the Blues sliced through the Red Devils like warm butter. Scott McTominay — bless his heart — tried to want it enough for seven or eight of his teammates currently on auto-pilot, all of whom are paid exponentially more than him, but he was no match for N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Alonso and Kai Havertz. And, still…

2. Chelsea can’t get out of their own way: In the first half, it was

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