Tuchel is reportedly struggling for his job atBayern Munich already. The club’s board is set to make its decision in less than a month whether to let him go or stay following Bayern’s recent struggles.
The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss returned to his native Germany in March when agreeing to succeed Julian Nagelsmann at the Allianz Arena.
He has, however, found the going tough in Bavaria, with Bayern bowing out of the Champions League to Manchester City and the German Cup at the hands of Freiburg.
The reigning champions have also surrendered top spot in the Bundesliga, with Tuchel overseeing just two wins across his opening seven games in charge.
Bild reports that Bayern bosses are now set to meet on May 22 – five days before the club’s final league game of the season – while making big decisions on coaching and directorial staff.
Oliver Kahn, who currently fills a CEO role in Munich, is another facing uncomfortable questions of his future – but he will not be quitting and would need to be forced out – while sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic could also be offloaded if it is determined that change at the top is required.
Kahn, Salihamidzicand Bayern chairman Herbert Hainer all felt the need to enter the dressing room following Bayern’s disappointing 3-1 defeat to Mainz on Saturday, with Tuchel under pressure a matter of weeks into a contract that is supposed to run until the summer of 2025.
As the German powerhouses attempt to fight off Borussia Dortmund’s bid for their Bundesliga crown, Nagelsmann was unexpectedly fired by Bayern Munich last month. Thomas Tuchel took his place.
Nagelsmann gained a lot of supporters during his excellent tenures with Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig before guiding Bayern to the Bundesliga championship last season. As a result, Nagelsmann was instantly mentioned as a possible long-term replacement for Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge.
Nagelsmann reportedly held talks with Chelsea over taking the job at the end of the campaign, but widespread reports on Friday suggested he had withdrawn from the running.
Asked about those reports by Sky Sports in Germany, Nagelsmann said: “To cancel something, you have to commit to something.”
Chelsea sit 11th in the Premier League table after failing to win any of their past five games in the competition, their most recent league victory coming against Leicester City under Potter on March 11.
Since appointing Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season, Chelsea have lost four successive games across all competitions, a run that saw them eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Nagelsmann could still be set for a move to the Premier League, however, with the 35-year-old being linked with Tottenham as they search for a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte.
He has also been suggested as a potential candidate to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, though the Italian recently said he has no intention of leaving Los Blancos at the end of the season despite links with Brazil.
If Chelsea chooses not to pursue a long-term transfer for the forward, Enrique Cerezo, club president, says Atletico Madrid will be happy to have Joao Felix return.
Mid-season transfer action at Stamford Bridge included the loan signing of Joao Felix to Chelsea in January.
The Portuguese international, though, has only scored twice in 11 Premier League games to this far, and Frank Lampard has decided to keep him on the bench for Chelsea’s last two contests.
While Joao Felix endured a strained relationship with Atletico boss Diego Simeone before departing on loan, Los Colchoneros will find a place for him if he returns to the club next season.
Asked about the forward’s future, Cerezo told Cadena SER: “You can’t anticipate things, everything is yet to be seen. Chelsea are a big team that can count on him.
“If he comes back, he will be well received, if he returns. Nothing can ever be ruled out in football, you can’t take anything for granted.”
Atletico are two points behind second-placed Real Madrid in LaLiga after winning six successive league games, but Cerezo does not believe their improved form can be attributed to Joao Felix’s exit.
Once Graham Potter was fired two weeks ago, Nagelsmann has been widely considered the favourite to become Chelsea’s new manager.
The club’s board hired Frank Lampard as a temporary replacement while conducting a thorough search for a long-term replacement. According to numerous publications, Nagelsmann and former Spain manager Luis Enrique made a good impression during the initial stages of negotiations.
However, as the Telegraph’s Matt Law reported, Enrique will no longer be a candidate for the West London job, with transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano adding that former Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino was a late entrant in the race.
Naglesmann’s girlfriend
But as the Sun reports, speculation is growing that Chelsea’s co-directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart will settle on Nagelsmann as the new boss. The former Bayern Munich boss’s girlfriend, Lena Wurzenberger, is yet to start in her new role.
Wurzenberger was supposed to start working for BMW on April 1st, but she is yet to report to work giving fodder to the rumours that she is keen on moving to London should her boyfriend get the Stamford Bridge job.
She is said to have gotten the job while Nagelsmann was still at Bayern, but he was sacked a few days later.
The 35-year-old will have a lot on his plate should he get the job in the summer. Chelsea are poised to finish outside European places after a catastrophic season that saw the arrival of many new players with nothing to show for.
What Chelsea needs to do in the summer
Sports Brief had earlier reported that A brace from Rodrygo Goes on April 18 all but confirmed Chelsea’s exit from the UEFA Champions League. They might have put in a better performance than last weeks, but there was nothing they could do as Real Madrid marched to an eleventh semi-final in 13 years.
The Blues are now set to sit out of European football until at least 2025. Perhaps it is what the club needs. After a period of turmoil occasioned by a change in owners and the subsequent hiring and firing of managers, Chelsea will need time to set their house in order.
First, they should not gamble with whoever they choose as the new manager on a long-term basis.
Before Chelsea’sChampions League match against Real Madrid, Ashley Cole gave a humorous pre-game statement to the Chelsea defence on camera.
The Blues welcomed the La Liga powerhouses to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night for the second leg of their quarterfinal match, looking to recover a 2-0 lead from the earlier match at Santiago Bernabeu.
The 2021 Champions League champions, according to The Guardian, were unable to defeat Carlo Ancelotti’s team and eventually withdrew from the competition.
A brace from Brazilian star Rodrygo was enough to earn Real another 2-0 win away from home to book a spot in the semi-final of the European competition.
Ashley Cole’s speech to Chelsea defenders
Despite Chelsea’s defeat, Sportbible reports that it is a passionate moment between Cole and the Blues’ defenders that has gone viral.
The moment, which was captured moments before the match, showed the Chelsea legend handing out some very clear pre-match instructions to his defenders.
At one point, the former left-back can be seen concentrating his efforts on Marc Cucurella, who has struggled for form since joining the west Londoners from Brighton.
Cole’s animated speech had fans talking online, with one posting:
“Show me a single one of the current lot that have even close to this level of passion.
While another added:
“Interesting. Ashley Cole really is integral to Lampard’s coaching staff.”
Courtois appears to mock Chelsea
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Thibaut Courtois responded to Chelsea fans in kind, as he dazzled in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on April 18.
The goalkeeper had an impressive game despite being subjected to a hostile reception at his former home ground.
The lanky Belgian has never been forgiven for ditching the club to move to the Spanish capital and Blues fans made that clear with loud jeers every time Courtois was on the ball.
Despite giving it their all at Stamford Bridge, the Blues were defeated by Rodrygo’s second-half double as Real Madrid advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 overall victory.
Gallagher thinks the Blues showed enough in the second leg to suggest they can end their Premier League campaign with a flourish under Frank Lamaprd, even though it is difficult to accept twice losing 2-0 to the European champions.
He said: “I feel like we played well, we had a lot of chances.
“I think we definitely had more and better chances than they did but football is all about taking your chances and we didn’t do that, which was disappointing.
“Of course, we’re going to be gutted but we played some good stuff.
“The cutting edge in front of goal is basically what wins you games and we haven’t got that at the minute.
“It’s definitely a big improvement over our recent performances but you need to score goals to win games. They did that and we didn’t.
“We pushed players forward and they were able to catch us on the counter a couple of times, which was the risk.
“Everybody will be very disappointed but I think there was a lot of improvement in our football over recent performances. I hope the fans can take that away.”
With Chelsea languishing 11th in the league, Lampard will attempt to lift his troops before they return to action against Brentford next Wednesday.
England international Gallagher, 23, added: “There’s always things to chase. We take one game at a time and we just want to improve as a whole team and win as many games as we can for the rest of the season.
“We’ll take it game by game and hopefully we can build on this performance because I feel like it was positive in a way.”
With a 4-0 aggregate score, Real Madrid eliminated Chelsea from the Champions League on Tuesday night.
With the departure, Chelsea’s final opportunity to win a trophy and find redemption this year also vanished.
The possibility of playing in any capacity in Europe next season is currently a long shot given their current 11th-place standing.
They are currently languishing in 11th position, with any form of European football next season a far cry at moment.
Drogba has now waded into the discussion, seemingly taking issue with the Todd Boehly owned club.
Boehly led the Clearlake consortium in acquiring the West London club last summer following the decision of Roman Abramovich to sell.
Despite pumping an excess of 600 million euros in their first two transfer windows, Chelsea are yet to find a winning formula. Four managers have already been contracted this season.
What Drogba thinks
Whilst the search for a new permanent boss continues, Drogba has questioned the lack of class at the club under the new owners.
“I knew this club with a certain class during the Abramovich era, but today I find it lacking. It’s very hard for me to see how they got rid of certain people.
They should go back to the principles and values they had. I no longer recognise my club,” as quoted by the Guardian.
Boehly undertook a major revamp of the technical staff with longstanding chairman Bruce Buck, director of football Marina Granovsakia and legendary goalkeeper and technical director Petr Cech all exiting the club.
The club has struggled to maintain its high standards as the American continues to juggle his way around owning a football club.
Drogba scored the winning penalty when Chelsea first won the Champions League in 2012 against Bayern Munich.
Lampard, who captained the squad on that night, declined to respond to Drogba’s stinging remarks.
The former Blues custodian played admirably in Tuesday’s second leg, which Madrid won 2-0 and 4-0 overall thanks to two goals from Rodrygo in the second half.
Prior to the Brazilian scoring, Courtois was crucial in keeping Chelsea from having a chance to get back into the game with an outstanding save on Marc Cucurella.
Speaking afterwards, Ancelotti lauded his goalkeeper’s contribution while paying tribute to his side for how they soaked up the pressure at Stamford Bridge.
“They were ahead on the scoreboard [mentally],” he told Movistar. “The save was very important. In the second half, we managed better, we had more space.
“We knew that we had to suffer in this type of game. [Chelsea] tried everything, they created problems for us. It has been a complete game, and a deserving tie.”
16 – @realmadriden will play the #UCL semi-finals for the 16th season, at least four more than any other team in the competition's history (Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, 12 each). Usual. pic.twitter.com/3Ta0pC1AfW
Rodrygo echoed his coach’s comments, lauding Courtois while touching on the pressures of ensuring Madrid live up to expectations with a semi-final appearance.
“We suffered today at the beginning, but there [Courtois] was again to save us,” he added. “We have the obligation to reach the semi-finals every year.
Madrid will face either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the last four, with the Premier League side favourites to join them after a hefty 3-0 first-leg win.
After ending Chelsea’s chances of winning the Champions League, Real Madrid goal hero Rodrygo celebrated like Cristiano Ronaldo.
He subsequently admitted that he did so more for self-preservation than for inspiration.
The Brazilian forward scored twice as Real Madrid defeated Chelsea 2-0 on Tuesday to go to the semifinals under Carlo Ancelotti.
The 22-year-old Santos-born superstar increased his total to 15 goals in 37 games played in the tournament, only 19 of which were starts.
It was after his first goal that Rodrygo performed the signature Ronaldo ‘siu’ celebration, with a jump and twist followed by a pose reminiscent of Madrid’s all-time record scorer.
However, the youngster admitted he did it to spare a problematic knee any further aggravation — as well as in tribute to the Champions League’s 140-goal leading marksman.
Rodrygo told Movistar: “First I thought about sliding on my knee, but I have inflammation.
“Then my idol, Cristiano, came to my mind and I did it.
“I hope to continue like this, scoring more goals and giving assists and winning the Champions League more times.”
Madrid await the winner of the tie between Manchester City and Bayern Munich, with the reigning English champions 3-0 ahead in that tie ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Germany.
It could therefore be a repeat of last season’s semi-final, when Madrid came back from a 5-3 deficit in the dying stages of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu to win in extra time.
On that occasion, Rodrygo’s late double — scoring in the 90th minute and then in stoppage time — sensationally kept the LaLiga giants in the tie before Karim Benzema’s penalty left City crestfallen.
A rematch would be an occasion to cherish, but Rodrygo said: “We don’t know if it’s against City yet.
“The Champions League is very difficult. We can no longer choose opponents and they are all difficult.”
Marc Skinner has questioned the “crazy” choice to only award Manchester United and Chelsea 8,000 tickets each for the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley next month.
The FA revealed on Monday that 65,000 tickets for the May 14 finale have already been distributed, with sales for the ends allotted to each team to follow.
United stated that their initial allocation was 8,000, while Chelsea stated that theirs was 7,530.
Speaking ahead of his side’s Women’s Super League clash with Arsenal on Wednesday, Red Devils boss Skinner said: “I don’t know how many it is in the men’s game, I really don’t, I don’t know how many they allocate.
“But to give clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United 8,000 tickets to sell, it’s crazy. To give two massive clubs 8,000 tickets is just crazy.”
The match is set to see the Women’s FA Cup final attendance record smashed, with the biggest crowd to date being the 49,094 that witnessed Chelsea’s extra-time victory over Manchester City last season.
6️⃣5️⃣,0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ tickets issued so far for this year's #WomensFACup Final 🤯
Neutral area tickets are now sold out.
Tickets for both Chelsea and Manchester United ends will go on sale this week through the respective clubs 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/hDfPDJVtAR
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 17, 2023
An FA spokesperson said:“The FA Cup final is the showpiece event of the women’s domestic season and to date we have issued over 65,000 tickets.
“Finalists Chelsea and Manchester United have each been issued with an additional 7,500 tickets for their fans.
“This is to help meet the likely demand for each club and is almost double the amount of tickets the finalists received last year.
“We look forward to hosting another memorable final at Wembley on May 14 and are anticipating a new record attendance.”
It will be United’s first appearance in the final, while Emma Hayes’ Blues are aiming to lift the trophy for a third consecutive time.
The sides are also vying for the WSL title, with leaders United currently a point clear of the champions having played a game more.
Gary Cahill contends that Chelsea’s underperforming players must perform or risk being let go this summer.
Last Saturday, Brighton easily defeated Cahill’s former team 2-1 at home, dropping the Blues to 11th place in the Premier League.
In the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tonight at Stamford Bridge, Frank Lampard’s team will try to overcome a 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid.
Speaking ahead of the game, Cahill said: “Ultimately, if people are not playing up to their level then they leave or they get sold. That’s my experience at the club.
“As soon as you’re not cutting it, you’re out the team or you’re sold and they get the next best thing in.
“As a player I’d be looking and thinking am I playing to the level I should be? If I’m not, I’d be worried in terms of thinking I’m not going to be here.
Chelsea have a mountain to climb after last week’s 2-0 defeat at the Bernabeu
“The pressure’s on at the big clubs and that’s the difference. Your job’s sometimes easy because you play with better players but the pressure around you is 10 times more than it is when you’re playing at a smaller club.
“If they’re not playing well enough I’m sure the club will move them on, so there’s pressure from everyone.
“Playing for the badge at Chelsea — from my experience and from Lamps’ experience and the lads before us — is to go on and challenge for trophies.
“That’s the whole reason you try and get into the top teams because you want to try and win stuff.”
Cahill, who played forChelsea between 2012 and 2019, highlighted the troubles that come hand-in-hand with the club’s overloaded squad.
The ex-England international, 37, added: “When you’ve got so many players, man-managing is really, really difficult, especially at a big club. You’ve got players all thinking they should play.
“You’re leaving players on the bench that are slightly not happy, you’re leaving a lot of players in the stand.
“It’s really hard to manage that group of players and get the best out of them.”
Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach of Real Madrid, does not see anything wrong with Todd Boehly, a co-owner of Chelsea, speaking to the Blues players in the locker room.
Boehly frequently communicates with the team, according to Chelsea interim manager Frank Lampard, who said he is okay with that.
According to former Blues manager Ancelotti, if Lampard is okay with it, he does not see a problem.
Chelsea’s 2-1 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday was their third loss in a row, and they are without a win in six (D2 L4), sitting in 11th place in the Premier League.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Chelsea, Ancelotti said: “To have a speech from the owner could be an important thing for the players. The Chelsea moment is not a good moment… if the owner wants to talk to the players, absolutely.”
However, he stopped short of signing off on the idea of Madrid president Florentino Perez doing the same in his dressing room.
“If [Perez] wants to talk to me every game, I would be happy to do that,” he said. “The owner[/president] has the right to know what the decisions of the manager are.”
Los Blancos take a 2-0 lead into the second leg at Stamford Bridge, and Ancelotti knows the job is not yet done, with his team almost throwing away a two-goal advantage at the same stage against the same opposition in last year’s competition.
After winning 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, Madrid were 3-0 down in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, only for a Rodrygo goal to send it to extra-time before Karim Benzema scored the winner.
“[We have] plenty of motivation,” he said. “It’s a big game, and we know we have to put in a good performance.
“There are still at least 90 minutes to play, and anything can happen, but we will be ready.”
The Italian would not be drawn on links with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, with reports suggesting Madrid and Manchester City are at the front of the queue for the England international after Liverpool allegedly withdrew their interest due to finances.
“Unfortunately, Bellingham is a Dortmund player, and I don’t like to talk about players of other teams. Sorry,” Ancelotti said.
The Serie A giants lured the Belgian international striker back to San Siro in the summer of 2022, a year after selling him to Chelsea Bridge for £98 million ($122 million).
Lukaku has struggled to find his footing since moving back to Italy, scoring only seven goals in 24 appearances across all competitions this season.
Only three efforts have come in the league, with two of those strikes coming from the penalty spot.
Lukaku’s last Serie A goal from open play came in a season opener against Lecce in August 2022.
With the 29-year-old struggling for form and fitness this term, Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter will not be looking to bring him back for 2023-24.
Instead of holding more talks with Chelsea, Inter will be turning their attention elsewhere.
Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino and Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram are said to be in the Nerazzurri’s thoughts, as they are both heading towards free agency.
Argentina-born Italy international Mateo Retegui, who is currently on loan at Tigre, is another top target for the Milan giants.
With no deal for Lukaku on the cards, the burly Belgian will be forced to return to west London this summer – with his contract atChelsea due to run until 2026.
Denis Zakaria has acknowledged Chelsea’s terrible performance against Brighton in the Premier League and said he felt horrible for the supporters.
Denis Zakaria expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance during the 2-1 loss to Brighton on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
The player also revealed that interim coach Frank Lampard had given the team some direct feedback following the defeat, but he declined to say what was said.
He also warned the Blues that they did need to play a lot better if they want to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid from the first leg to qualify for the Champions League semi-final.
“Yes, I think it is good [that Lampard is honest] because we need more. We are not good. It is tough. It is difficult and we feel bad for the fans because we cannot play like that. It is tough and we have to do better. It is hard.
“We are now going to do everything we can to come through the game against Real Madrid and win this game. We will give everything until the end.”
The Swiss midfielder, who joinedChelsea on loan from Juventus in the summer, has appeared in just 11 matches for the club thus far. He featured in the club’s starting lineup against Brighton for the first time since January.
The Blues are winless in their last six matches in all competitions and are on a three-match losing streak at the moment.
A little less than two weeks ago, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly made the call to legendary Blues player Frank Lampard, asking him to return and try to right the ship.
It might have been Carlo Ancelotti speaking to the American in a different reality.
Ancelotti, who will be playing for Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg match on Tuesday, will instead return to the Stamford Bridge dugout simply as an adversary.
It was Madrid president Florentino Perez who brought the Italian back for a second stint at the helm, after Zinedine Zidane walked away again in 2021.
Ancelotti’s Madrid picked off the Blues in the first game, carving out a 2-0 lead through Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, and they could have added further goals as they controlled proceedings.
At the other end former Chelsea duo Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rudiger made important saves and blocks to leave Lampard’s side empty-handed.
Ancelotti’s return toChelsea evokes warm memoriesof one of the finest ever Premier League sides, which he led to the club’s first ever league and FA Cup double in 2010, halcyon days in stark contrast to the Blues’ recent slump.
The Italian’s Chelsea side featured big characters including Didier Drogba, John Terry, Michael Ballack and Lampard himself, and they racked up 7-0, 7-1 and 8-0 triumphs at the Bridge as they strolled to domestic glory.
Chelsea’s current hodgepodge of players lacks both the leadership and quality of that group, as was laid painfully bare in their defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.
“I am sad, yes,” said Ancelotti before that clash. “I have a fantastic memory of this club, of the people that are still working there.
“I’m a supporter of Chelsea, of course, because I spent two really nice years there.
“I think and I hope Lampard will be able to do a fantastic job with them.”
It was a generous line from Ancelotti, but the Italian will hope his coach is nowhere near as magnanimous on Tuesday under the lights in London.
Ancelotti was let go by then-owner Roman Abramovich in 2011, ending his brief but memorable two-season spell in charge.
Safe hands
Madrid are aiming to win a record-extending 15th Champions League, defending the title after their triumph over Liverpool last season, and looked streets ahead of the 2021 victors in the Spanish capital.
Despite not being first choice — or second, or third — for the job, Ancelotti was chosen as a safe pair of hands and also helped Madrid lift La Liga last season too.
Like Zidane before him, is showing excellent man management is a vital skill for Los Blancos coaches — although not the only one, as he was at pains to point out.
“I am ‘fantastic’ at managing but there are other things, because this team is well-trained,” said Ancelotti before the first leg.
“If we win the Copa del Rey, we will have won every title possible in two years and there are teams who won’t win that in their whole lives.”
Ancelotti has kept squad players like Dani Ceballos, Nacho Fernandez and Asensio both hungry and helpful, with the latter netting again at Cadiz at the weekend. Most of them, anyway.
Former Chelsea star Eden Hazard has remained a fringe presence and his former fans will hope not to see him on Tuesday –- if the Belgian appears, it will mean Madrid have clinched progression and the key players are getting rested.
“The door is open and it’s up to us to kick it open further,” said Lampard after the first leg defeat, angling for a comeback.
It will be music to Ancelotti’s ears, with his team so lethal on the break against desperate sides and the coach wise enough to play to their strengths.
The 63-year-old has lifted the trophy six times, twice as a player, and four times in the dug-out, recently observing he is approaching his 1,300th game as a coach.
His experience and stability are in stark contrast to Chelsea’s haphazard project, and on Tuesday they may help him highlight chasms where he once left silverware and memories.
Dele Alli’s fall from grace has been very stunning, and as more information about his way of life comes to light, it becomes clearer why the former Tottenham player is having difficulty on the pitch.
The midfielder’s partying ways have been further exposed by a picture that has surfaced of him in bed with numerous buddies.
Alli can be seen in bed with four ladies and former Chelsea player and star Izzy Jay Brown in exclusive photos obtained by The Sun.
The outlet further reveals that Alli allegedly went on a partying spree, where he clubbed twice in 10 days in Turkey, where he was on loan at Besiktas
The suggestive picture was allegedly taken inside a flat in Salford, and it is believed Alli and his friends spent a massive £6,000 on that fateful night.
After a night of clubbing, Alli returned to the Salford flat with four women and three men. This was after a trip to Chinawhite in Manchester.
Once touted as one of the best midfielders in the world, Dele Alli’s fall from footballing grace is quite disheartening.
As recently as 2019, Alli was starring in the Champions League final, but an underwhelming spell at Tottenham under Jose Mourinho saw him sold to Everton.
He made just 13 appearances for Everton before getting shipped off to Besiktas for a loan spell. He also featured 13 times in Turkey before his loan deal came to an end.
Alli recently uploaded an image of himself in hospital, suggesting he was on the road to recovery after minor surgery.
“Surgery done, all successful. I focus on full recovery now after tough weeks. My season unfortunately comes to an end”. He said on social media.
“I’m gonna take a break from socials and hit my recovery hard. I’ll be back when I am ready”.
Sean Dyche, who was recently appointed to help save the club from the shackles of relegation, spoke on Alli’s situation after the 27-year-old returned to the club after an underwhelming loan spell in Turkey.
“He’s not here obviously. He has got an injury that will keep him out for some time.” Sean Dyche said.
“He’s 26, he knows certain things that he should or shouldn’t be doing. As a manager, you can’t control everything they do in their lives. You can only guide players with what’s good for them.
Eventually, players have their own choices to make. Of course, you want them to make good choices.”
An English pundit has suggested Chelsea should stick with Frank Lampard if they choose former Bayern Munich manager, Julian Nagelsmann as their manager.
Graham Potter was fired and his assistant, Bruno Saltor, who oversaw the 0-0 draw against Liverpool, declined the appointment.
He was replaced as interim manager until the end of the season by the Blues veteran and former coach.
With the hasty firing of Thomas Tuchel after only a few games of the new season, Todd Boehly and company are attempting to avoid making the same mistake with Potter.
The club invited former Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique to London last week for an interview and this week have invited Nagelsmann to do the same, according to German newspaper, Bild.
Keys advises Chelsea against Nagelsmann
Lampard has lost his first two games in charge, a 1-0 loss to Wolves in the Premier League and a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, leading to calls from fans to hasten the appointment of a new manager.
Sportskeeda reported that the former RB Leipzig boss is the favourite and has the backing of technical director, Christopher Vivell and co-sporting director, Paul Winstanley.
However, English TV anchor, Richard Keys is critical of the possible appointment of 35-year-old Nagelsmann, claiming Lampard should be retained ahead of bringing the German on-boardif the German tactician is the club’s choice in the future.
Fans want Lampard sacked
Potter was not a popular figure among Chelsea fans but despite being a club legend, Lampard is also gradually losing his popularity among the Blues faithful.
As Sports Brief reported, fans called for Lampard’s sack after losing his first game 1-0 to Wolves thanks to a brilliant volley from Matheus Nunes past Kepathat beat Kepa Arrizabalaga.
This week, a significant setback to Marc Cucurella’s difficult Chelsea career occurred.
For his part in a play that led to Ben Chilwell’s dismissal against Real Madrid on Wednesday night, the 24-year-old Spaniard received harsh criticism.
Having suffered a 2-0 defeat in the away leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, the Blues’ catastrophic campaign now appears destined to conclude without a trophy and, most likely, without making it to the European stage.
Ahead of a visit from Cucurella’s former club Brighton on Saturday, we examine the defender’s uncertain future in West London.
Madrid error
When Frank Lampard became caretaker manager of Chelsea, he selected Cucurella as the left-back in a 4-3-3 formation for his first game against Wolves.
Having lost that match 1-0,Lampard switched to 3-5-2 for the difficult away trip to Real Madrid and left the ex-Seagulls star on the bench.
But in the second half, with the Blues 1-0 down, Cucurella was brought on to replace Kalidou Koulibaly on the left side of the back three.
Within four minutes of his introduction, the versatile defender lost the run of home forward Rodrygo, resulting in the panicked Chilwell bringing the Brazilian down.
Chilwell was given his marching orders and soon after, Lampard’s men conceded a second goal.
A turnaround at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday seems unlikely given their poor form.
Cucurella’s brief time at Chelsea has been a massive disappointment.
The trouble started when the club elected to pay a huge transfer fee of £62million for him last summer.
Brighton had signed theBarcelona academy graduate for a mere £15m from Getafe just a season before. He had looked set for a move to Manchester City, only for the West Londoners to gazump their rivals with their bid.
Straight away, that put pressure on the Catalan to deliver — and his task has been made all the more difficult by a turbulent period on the touchline.
When Cucurella signed, Thomas Tuchel was manager. His former Brighton boss Graham Potter then replaced the German, before Bruno Saltor became interim coach until Lampard stepped in last week.
The four different bosses have used a variety of formations and styles. Defensively, the team have switched from a back four to a three on multiple occasions in an attempt to find some solidity.
Cucurella has sometimes found himself tasked with playing as a left-back in a four, which is a role that arguably does not suit his skill set.
Second chance
Marc Cucurella has played under four different managers at Chelsea this season
Out of Chelsea’s raft of new signings, he is far from being alone in failing to settle — but he has certainly lacked the continuity offered to some of his colleagues.
There is sure to be a massive clear out of from a bloated squad over the summer. Who departs will in large part be decided by the club’s choice of manager.
Cucurella’s chances of staying and getting a fresh start will be helped by the fact that his contract runs through to 2028, with Stamford Bridge chiefs facing a massive loss if they were to try to sell him right now.
The one-cap international will hope that whoever is appointed as the new manager will have a settled idea of how they want Chelsea to play, giving him chance to revive his Premier League career.
British left-back Last night, just before the hour, Chilwell was handed his marching orders for hauling back Rodrygo as he was running through on goal.
At the Bernabeu, the Blues were already down a goal as a result of Karim Benzema’s first-half tap-in.
And Chilwell’s dismissal was followed by sub Marco Asensio’s 74th-minute drive to leave Frank Lampard’s men with an uphill task going into the second leg of their quarter-final clash on Tuesday.
Writing on Instagram, the 26-year-old defender said: “Slept on it and just want to apologise to my team-mates and the fans.
“I made a decision in a split second last night and it was a mistake.
“I always give everything for the team and I will continue to do so. Thank you for the support.”
Ben Chilwell was red-carded for tugging back Rodrygo
With Chilwell ruled out of the return match at Stamford Bridge, Lampard is likely to deploy Marc Cucurella at left-back or left wing-back, depending on the formation he opts for.
Joao Felix might return to Madrid in the summer when his loan agreement expires because he has not performed well during his brief stay in London. Apparently that’s what the supporters believe. The hierarchy might believe otherwise.
The Portuguese started in attack alongside English winger Raheem Sterling as interim manager Frank Lampard deployed a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, N’golo Kante, and Mateo Kovacic.
Real Madrid took the lead in the first half through Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema who slotted home after Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga spilt a shot onto his path.
Bar Enzo Fernandez, the whole team was lacklustre, but the fans felt let down the most by their attack and wanted Felix, the loanee player, returned and his move not made permanent.
Fans rip into Joao Felix
According to Guardian, the 23-year-old extended his Atletico Madrid contract until 2027 before joining the Blues until the end of the season for a £9.6m loan fee.
Chelsea are thought to be interested in retaining him despite Atletico demanding a fee in excess of £86m to make themove permanent in the summer, as reported by Football London.
Fans have had enough and want the loan ended at the end of the season after another poor outing against Real Madrid and just two goals in 12 appearances in London.
”Keeping Felix is a bad decision. It is waste of resources and a sign that the club is now very confused.”
Felix unsure of Chelsea future
It was reported that Felix expressed doubts over hisChelsea future due to a lack of buy option or obligation in his loan move and will rely on the two clubs finding an agreement.
The Portuguese is happy in London and wants to stay beyond his loan, but Rojiblancos demands could put Chelsea off, coupled with his performances.
Wesley Fofana won’t concede that Chelsea’s hopes of winning theChampions League are all but lost.
Last night, Real Madrid took a strong lead in their Champions League quarterfinal thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and substitute Marco Asensio, handing Frank Lampard’s Blues a 2-0 loss.
Fofana and his teammates won’t give up, even if Ben Chilwell will miss Tuesday’s second game after receiving a red card at the Bernabeu.
The defender, 22, said: “It is difficult to take because we lost a player and conceded one goal in each half.
“Of course, it is always disappointing to concede two goals.
“The current situation is difficult for everybody but next week we’re playing the second leg at home, which is good.
Frank Lampard must lift his troops for the challenges ahead
Fofana played in a central defensive trio alongside the returning Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly as Lampard switched from a flat back four for the second match of his spell as caretaker boss.
And the Frenchman revealed the club legend sent his team out with a very clear message before the game.
He added: “He said play for the club, the badge and for Chelsea.
“We will prepare for the next game. We lost but when you see the game it is OK as 2-0 isn’t the worst. There are positives to take.
“It is hard for everybody as one coach comes in, he leaves and then another coach arrives.
“It is important to try our best for everyone to win more games. It is complicated, of course. The Champions League is the biggest competition and we will still try to win it.”
Before Chelsea welcome Real to the Bridge, Lampard must lift his side for Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Brighton.
The 11th-placed Blues are seven points behind Roberto De Zerbi’s men and have played two more games.
In “respect” for the La Liga team, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to weigh in on rumours of a move to Chelsea or Brazil while he is still in that position.
Even though the Italian’s contract with Real Madrid still has one year left, in recent weeks, he has been mentioned as a possible option to fill open positions with the Blues and the Selecao.
This week’s Champions League matchup pits Ancelotti against Chelsea, the team he previously spent two years with and helped win the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2009–10.
But ahead of his quarter-final reunion, he has adamantly played down speculation of an exit from Santiago Bernabeu to take up the reins elsewhere.
“There’s a nice saying which is just right,” he told Radio Rai 1. “[It is] the wind carries away the chatter.
“That is it. I have a contract until June 30, 2024, and I would like to respect it.”
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 9, 2023
Ancelotti returned to Madrid in 2021 and guided the club to LaLiga glory in his first season, completing a clean sweep of all five major European league titles in his career.
The defence of an additional Champions League triumph has become the club’s main aim this season amid a widening domestic battle to catch Barcelona.
Chelsea are searching for a permanent successor to Graham Potter, having turned to another former boss in Frank Lampard to guide them through the end of the season.
Brazil, meanwhile, are yet to name Tite’s replacement following a disappointing quarter-final exit at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, with under-20 coach Ramon Menezes in charge on a temporary basis.
Upon his appointment as interim head coach at Molineux 18 months after being fired from the position, Chelsea great Lampard was met with an enthusiastic ovation by the visiting supporters.
Yet the club’s all-time record scorer was unable to stop the poor form that led to Graham Potter’s sacking as mid-table Chelsea slumped to an 11th top-flight defeat of the season after failing to score for the third successive game.
Wolves were on the front-foot throughout and deserved their win which came after a sweet finish by Matheus Nunes, the Portugal midfielder’s first goal for the club since joining from Sporting Lisbon last August.
Nunes, who cost a club record £38m, beat Kepa Arrizabalaga with a fierce attempt from the tightest of angles after an attempted headed clearance by Kalidou Koulibaly.
Joao Felix forced a save from Jose Sa but Chelsea were disappointing and remain 11th after just two wins in 11 league games.
Prior to a vital stretch of matches in theBundesliga and Champions League, Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has urged his players to maintain a positive outlook.
After suffering a shocking 2-1 loss to Freiburg at home in the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday, Bayern will travel to play them in the league on Saturday before taking on Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on the following Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Tuchel repeatedly mentioned a need to be “positive” despite the cup setback.
“We need to continue with a positive approach, we can be angry but still be positive,” he said, later adding: “We need a reaction, but we would have needed one even if we won.
“People don’t want to hear it but there were positive things in [the Freiburg] game… Things can happen where the result is probably not right after a game like this but we have to accept it.
“We are lacking a bit of precision in the last pass, a bit of trust, cohesion, creativity. We need form and that will only come back if we remain positive, even though we were unhappy with the result.”
On the reaction of his players following the loss to a 95th-minute Lucas Holer penalty at the Allianz Arena, Tuchel added: “They are very critical of themselves.
I was telling them the same thing I have told you, that we just have to accept it, that the coach is talking about positive things about the game even though no-one wants to talk about it.
“We can have a bad mood for a couple of days but that doesn’t help anyone, you need a positive mindset to move forward.”
24 – With their 2-1 in the cup quarterfinal, SC Freiburg has won for the first time an away game at Bayern München in the 24th attempt in all comps. In 23 Bundesliga games in Munich Freiburg could manage only three draws and lost 20 games. History. #FCBSCFpic.twitter.com/4OFgs0h9SE
Tuchel confirmed the Freiburg game will come too early for injured pair Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Mathys Tel, while Dayot Upamecano misses out through suspension.
When asked who can play as the striker in Choupo-Moting’s absence, he said: “Mathys Tel can play as a nine, that was his answer when I asked him his position, but he is injured.
“Sadio Mane and Serge Gnabry can play there as well, they will be my players of choice.”
The former Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea boss was not keen to look beyond Saturday to Tuesday’s trip to Manchester, but he acknowledged he cannot use Freiburg as preparation given the difference in approach.
“I don’t believe that we can practice the things we need against Man City, Freiburg play a completely different way,” he said.
Frank Lampard’s return to the club has some Chelsea supporters believing he can lead their team to the Champions League this year.
Thursday, April 6, saw Lampard take over as Chelsea’s interim manager, replacing the recently fired Graham Potter.
Less than two years had passed since the Englishman left the west London club and Thomas Tuchel took over as manager.
As quoted by Chelsea’s official website, Lampard expressed his delight upon reuniting with the Blues, with the legendary midfielder disclosing he did not think twice when Chelsea came calling.
“It was an easy decision for me because this is my club,” Lampard declared.
Chelsea fans react to Lampard’s return
According to Sportbible, a number of Chelsea fans were quick to take to social media to react to the news of Lampard’s return, with some claiming the club had made a logical appointment.
Others went on to suggest that Lampard could actually steer the club to Champions League glory.
Frank Lampard returns as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season. 🤝
A second tweeted: “Imagine Lampard wins the Champions League with Chelsea.” Another admitted: “If Frank Lampard wins Chelsea the Champions League I swear that’ll be an unrivalled life moment. The mere thought alone is flabbergasting!”
Another posted: “Only upside I can see is that it would be truly poetic if Lampard can with the Champions League as player and manager for Chelsea, dreaming is free.”
Lampard joins an exclusive list Sports Brief reported that Lampard joined an exclusive list of managers to have managed the club more than once with his re-appointment as the caretaker.
Jose Mourinho was the first to manage the club twice.
He laid the foundation for success under Roman Abramovich during his first spell between 2004-2007 and returned between 2013-2015.
Famous interim Guus Hiddink managed twice and won the FA Cup in his first spell, while Roberto Di Matteo technically managed twice, winning the UEFA Champions League as interim.
After making a spectacular comeback to the Chelsea bench,Frank Lampard insisted that he is only thinking about the current results and not beyond the conclusion of his interim tenure with the club.
After Graham Potter was fired earlier this month, the Blues rehired their great midfielder and former manager on an interim basis.
Lampard’s comeback may also serve as a fantastical tryout for the position he previously held on a long-term basis as Todd Boehly intensifies his search for a long-term replacement.
However, the 44-year-old insists he is not getting ahead of himself following his return.
“I’m a very practical person,” he said. “To come back in a time where the club has asked me, I’m delighted to get the opportunity, and I’m thankful for that.
“I think the role speaks for itself, in the period that I’m here. I’m not getting anywhere ahead of myself. I want to do the best that I can in the best possible way.”
Frank Lampard returns as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season. 🤝
Lampard was dismissed in 2021 and had to watch on as his successor Thomas Tuchel guided his squad to Champions League success.
He refused to mull the poetry of him succeeding Potter with a European quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon, but acknowledged he is relishing the test.
“It’s certainly a chance,” he added. “I’m not naive, Real Madrid is a huge football club. My job is to go step-by-step.
“But of course having played a part in coaching in the Champions League, I’m excited to be fighting in that competition again.
“I want to say credit to Graham Potter. Sometimes, for whatever reason, things don’t align. I’ve been in that situation.
“[But] in terms of unfinished business, I don’t quite see it like that. Unfinished business sounds a little bit Hollywood. I want to work, and I want to help this club as much as I can.”
Lampard would not be drawn on the future of Mason Mount either amid questions over the England international’s place at Stamford Bridge.
However, he was glowing in his assessment of the midfielder, who he helped nurture at both Derby and Chelsea in separate spells.
“I don’t know enough about it for me to talk about it,” he added. “Mason has always been a fantastic player for me, from my days at Derby.
“It has been a pleasure watching him. I know he’s had a few slight injury problems, but I know what I get from Mason. I think he’s a huge player for Chelsea.”
As the owner approaches a year after its takeover, the whirlwind atChelsea under the control of Todd Boehly and the Clearlake Capital consortium continues.
The majority of the judgements made since the takeover have been perfect, but one bad choice has resulted in a chain reaction of poor choices that have cost money and time.
The decision to fire Champions League champion Thomas Tuchel and replace him with Graham Potter has disastrously backfired.
Potter is gone in seven months, and the search for another manager begins.
Athletic UK reports that the club have reached an agreement with club legend and former manager Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
This was done to allow more time to carry out the exhaustive search for a new manager, with Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann leading contenders for the job, according to Evening Standard.
Fans’ reaction to Lampard’s return
Lampard was manager between July 2019 and January 2021.
He achieved the top four in his first season despite the transfer ban, but after spending over £200m in his second season, he failed and was sacked mid-season.
Since then, he has gone to Everton and has been sacked again, which has left fans unimpressed by his return, even as a caretaker until the end of the season.
@CFCDUBois wrote: ”First mistake was sacking Tuchel. Second mistake was delaying sacking Potter when he was out of his depth for ages. Now hiring Lampard after he showed he was out of his depth. ‘Vibes’ isn’t the best way to approach a UCL QF. 1% chance 99% faith.”
@CFCMod_ wrote: ”Frank Lampard in 2023, just one normal day at this club is all I ask for man, he will be our manager till the end of the season, this is laughable.”
@gyaigyimii wrote: ”Who did I offend to be getting this. From Tuchel leaving to Potter and now back to Lampard. I’m sorry” While the majority of the fans are against the appointment, a few others welcomed the idea of having him until the end of the season, as it is a better option than Bruno Saltor, who has hinted he did not want to stay.
Tuchel wanted Chelsea return
Sports Brief reported that Tuchel hinted he could return to Chelsea if his successor Potter had been sacked before he took over at Bayern Munich. The German’s comment on Potter’s sacking communicates this assertion, and it is a move Chelsea fans would have wanted.
The sixth consecutive draw between Chelsea and Liverpool was much more entertaining than the first leg, which was a very dull game.
After Graham Potter was fired as manager, Bruno Saltor took over as team leader for the first time. The team struggled with many of the same issues, including failing to convert chances.
As the hunt for a new manager heats up, it’s unclear if Saltor will be in charge for the weekend match against Wolves at the Molineux Stadium.
Club legend and former manager, Frank Lampard was in attendance at Stamford Bridge last night, the first time since his departure from the club in 2021, as reported by Football London.
This comes amid news, as reported by Telegraph UK, that the club have officially made contact with axed Bayern Munich boss, Julian Nagelsmann and former Spain manager, Luis Enrique.
Fans react to Lampard’s attendance
Lampard was beloved at Stamford Bridge during his playing days. He finished his career at the club being the all-time top scorer with 211 goals, but his managerial stint did not end well.
However, fans were happy to see their legend, with many insinuating he could return to the post he left in 2021.
@FPLPhilly wrote: ”He’s surely not going to luck himself into another Premier League team is he???”
@timzim9 wrote: ”Haha trying to get back into the bosses good books” @mayor_n tweeted: ”Aah incoming manager assessing the team”.
The Sun UK exclusively reports that the club are considering hiring Lampard as a caretaker manager until the end of the season, to allow for more time in their managerial search.
Why Havertz’s goal was disallowed
Kai Havertz was one of Lampard’s signings. He had a goal disallowed against Liverpool due to a contentious rule, Sports Brief has also reported.
The Blues forward received a pass from the returning N’Golo Kante, before chipping the ball over the head of the Reds goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.
However, despite the ball finding the back of the net, Havertz’s goal was ultimately disallowed after the referee consulted with the VAR official.
Chelsea and Liverpool played out their fourth goalless draw in as many head-to-head matches as the Blues missed numerous opportunities to win their first game following the firing of Graham Potter.
Some home fans disrupted the game by chanting about the 1989 FA Cup semi-final disaster at Hillsborough, which claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool fans.
Tuesday’s match was not the first to be overshadowed by such songs this season, with Manchester City expressing regret after similar chants were heard at their 4-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday.
A statement released by Chelsea shortly after full-time read: “Chelsea FC condemns the inappropriate chants heard from some home fans during this evening’s game.
“Hateful chanting has no place in football and we apologise to anyone who has been offended by them.”
Liverpool subsequently responded to Chelsea’s apology on Twitter, calling for supporters to stop partaking in the grim chants.
“We know the impact these vile chants have on those who continue to suffer as a result of football tragedies,” read a Tweet from the club’s account. “For their sake, this has to stop.”
The Premier League, meanwhile, addressed the situation in another Tweet, which read: “The Premier League condemns the tragedy chanting heard at tonight’s match between Chelsea and Liverpool.
“We continue to treat this as an unacceptable issue and are seeking to address it as a priority.”
We know the impact these vile chants have on those who continue to suffer as a result of football tragedies. For their sake, this has to stop. https://t.co/5dLLAl4Ptu
Liverpool players confronted each other during their game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 4th.
Team captain Jordan Henderson appeared to have a bone to pick with goalkeeper Alisson Becker and told him off in the full glare of the cameras.
The Brazilian custodian did not take being spoken down to lightly and equally responded with a few tough words of his own before the situation quickly simmered down.
Jurgen Klopp’s side made the trip to London looking to bounce back from the 4-1 humiliation at Manchester City over the weekend.
Chelsea, meanwhile, took to the game under a third different manager this season.
The hosts were the better side of the night, but like their past four encounters, it ended in a stalemate.
Henderson was livid with Liverpool’s defence after an error from Joel Matip nearly cost his side a goal.
Joao Felix blazed his effort over the bar as a quick introspection on the Liverpool side ensued.
It is not clear why the England international was angry with Alisson despite Matip being the one culpable for the error.
The Reds will now welcome Arsenal this weekend in what is set to be a season-defining game for the Gunners.
Havertz’s disallowed goal At the same time, Sports Brief reported that Chelsea fans were left incensed after Kai Havertz’s goal vs Liverpool on April 4th was chalked off for handball.
Havertz scored just before the hour mark. N’Golo Kante, who was making his first Chelsea start since August, laid off a wonderful through ball for the German, who failed to chip the ball over past an on-rushing Alisson Becker.
The ball, however, fell back kindly to him and it ricocheted into an empty net.
Frantic celebrations at Stamford Bridge were halted after replays showed that the ball was pushed in by Havertz’s arm.
Gus Poyet, a former player for the Blues, saidthat Graham Potter’s dismissal from Chelsea was “harsh,” but ultimately it was the cost of falling short of expectations.
When new co-owner Todd Boehly started to make his presence known at Stamford Bridge last September, the former manager of Brighton was chosen to succeed Thomas Tuchel.
Potter was fired less than six months into his position, however, after the team’s weekend loss to Aston Villa saw them drop to 11th in the Premier League.
Poyet, a Chelsea cult hero and former Brighton boss himself, feels the decision to fire the 47-year-old was a tough one but ultimately unsurprising given their slide down the table.
He said: “I think it was a difficult period. They had a few good results, especially in the Champions League, and it looked [like] a new beginning.
“But football nowadays, it depends on so many things. We don’t analyse performances anymore, only a result. I think for Graham in particular, it’s harsh.
-7.4 – Chelsea underperformed their xG by 7.4 during Graham Potter's Premier League reign, the worst differential of any side since his first game in charge (21 goals from 28.4 xG).
-7.4 | Chelsea -6.7 | West Ham -6.1 | Everton -5.8 | Southampton -5.3 | Forest
“Brighton to Chelsea is a big change. That is a learning process, but at the same time, it’s Chelsea. When you are in a team like Chelsea, with the money spent, you definitely cannot be 11th.”
He added: “He’s learned that at Chelsea, it’s important to win. If Chelsea don’t win, the fans are not going to be happy because the Chelsea fans are winners and they feel the need to win.
“I think personality is very important. I think it’s very important when a coach in the situation that Chelsea are now can start winning games, but at the same time they will develop young players.
“I don’t know how many managers will walk into a club in the quarter-final of the Champions League. It’s a dream job. But I think Chelsea first need to be clear what are the characteristics of the manager [they want].”
In order to find a long-term replacement forGraham Potter, Chelsea has launched a complex plan.
Since Potter was fired from his position as manager of the Blues on Sunday night, the team is currently without a permanent manager.
After Potter had earlier on Saturday led the west London team to a humiliating 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, he was fired shortly after.
The defeat came amid sustained calls by fans to have the 47-year-old sacked following Chelsea’s disastrous run of form and results under him.
Prior to Potter’s sacking, the west Londoners had dropped to 11th on the Premier league standings, with just 38 points.
Who will replace Potter?
There are a string of world-class managers currently without a job that Chelsea could consider for the vacant Stamford Bridge.
While it remains unclear if the club will get a permanent replacement immediately, it is almost certain they will hire a substantive replacement for the remainder of the season.
According to The Mirror, former Brighton defender Bruno Saltor has already been put in interim charge as the search for Potter’s successor gets underway.
Sports Brief takes a look at eight prospective candidates that Chelsea could consider for the role.
1. Julian Nagelsmann
The immediate former Bayern Munich boss is the most obvious name out there.
Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern at the end of February, with Thomas Tuchel, ironically, succeeding him. The German has also been linked with the vacant Tottenham job.
2. Mauricio Pochettino
The former Paris Saint-Germain man is one of the most sought after managers currently without a job.
Poch has sufficient Premier League experience, having previously managed Tottenham and Southampton.
Incidentally, he has also been touted as a possible replacement for Antonio Conte at Tottenham.
3. Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique is a natural winner, at least going by his managerial stint at Barcelona where he won two La Liga titles and the Champions League. He is among the high-profile managers without a job at the moment, having been sacked as the Spain head coach back in December.
4. Brendan Rodgers
This is perhaps a surprise inclusion in this list. Brendan Rodgers was rendered jobless over the weekend after he was sacked as the Leicester boss.
The former Liverpool manager was handed his marching orders after overseeing a disastrous reign at the King Power Stadium that had seen the club drop into the relegation zone.
Despite the rough patch he endured with Leicester, Brendan is still highly rated in the Premier League.
5. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is the other high-ranking manager currently unattached. Widely regarded as one of the most successful managers, Zidane has been out of work for two years, having left his role at Real Madrid in 2021. The former midfielder won two La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues during his Real Madrid reign.
6. Carlo Ancelotti
Should Chelsea go for Carlo Ancelotti, it would mark the Italian’s second return to Stamford Bridge. Ancelotti won the Premier League and FA Cup during his first spell with the Blues and has gone on to enjoy an illustrious managerial career wherever he has managed. The legendary tactician is currently with Real Madrid and has been linked with the Brazil national team role.
7. Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has raised his stakes in the Premier League after an incredible run with Brentford this season.
Graham Potter found it difficult to influence the Chelsea players and was unable to produce results on the pitch; after only seven months in the position, it was inevitable to fire him.
The Blues sporting department are working actively to find his replacement and, in the meantime, have installed one of his assistants Bruno Saltor as the interim boss.
According to Sky Sports, former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, whom former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel replaced last week, is the favourite to be the new head coach at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel speaks on Potter’s sack
Tuchel began his tenure at Bayern with a 4-2 win over his former club Borussia Dortmund and faces a tricky tie against SC Freiburg in the DFB Pokal tomorrow.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game, he was asked about the vacant managerial role at Chelsea.
His response suggested he would have re-taken the job if he were unemployed, according to Mirror UK.
“I saw the news very late last night. The timing coincided with my appointment here. I really enjoyed working there and formed friendships for life.
But the club has changed a lot, so it didn’t really trigger big emotions in me,” he said.
Graham Potter, in the opinion of interim Chelsea head coach Bruno Saltar, did an “amazing job” for the team.
Following a loss to Aston Villa on Saturday that sent the team into the bottom half of the Premier League rankings, the Blues severed connections with Potter on Sunday.
Less than seven months had passed since Potter’s hiring at Stamford Bridge, when he succeeded Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel. His departure also followed a major spending binge in the January transfer window.
Potter was finally fired because he was unable to use the talents of Chelsea’s wide range of newcomers and because of a serious goal scoring deficit.
Despite all of that, Potter did an impressive job in west London in the eyes of Bruno.
“I’m here right now because Graham and the club thought that was the right step, I’m here to just try to help the club and be the most professional I can,” he said at a pre-match press conference.
“I’m just trying to keep the process going, to collaborate the best that we can. I think Graham did an amazing job. Football is a really complex business and we have to keep going.
“It’s been really difficult at every single level, you have to deal with the press conference, you have to deal with the players. It’s difficult to deal with it, it’s been a really difficult 12 hours.”
Bruno faces a baptism of fire at Stamford Bridge, with his first game coming against top-four chasing Liverpool, and he expressed his admiration for opposing boss Jurgen Klopp.
“We have to see it as an opportunity for the players. We’re representing Chelsea, a club with amazing history, who are about winning, about dominating,” he added.
“We need to prepare for the game, preparation helps a lot with performance. That’s what players need to focus on.
“Obviously I have pure admiration towards Jurgen. I can’t say anything other than what everyone knows. They’re going through a tough season as well, but have top players.
“We’re expecting a tough game, that’s aggressive because they have high intensity players.”
After a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, which dropped Chelsea to 11th place in the Premier League, Potter was fired less than seven months into his job at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues’ next match is at home against Liverpool, who are still licking their wounds from Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Manchester City.
According to their high standards, Liverpool is having a terrible season. The Reds have lost nine league games, are currently in eighth place, are eliminated from the FA Cup and the Champions League, and are eight points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
And Klopp is aware it is the success of previous campaigns that is keeping him in a job.
“The elephant in the room is why I’m still sitting here, in this crazy world. Last man standing,” Klopp told reporters.
“I’m aware of the fact that I’m sitting here because of the past, not because of what we did this season.
“If it was my first season, that would be slightly different. Yes, we have smart owners, they know about the situation, but you better ask them yourselves.”
-7.4 – Chelsea underperformed their xG by 7.4 during Graham Potter's Premier League reign, the worst differential of any side since his first game in charge (21 goals from 28.4 xG).
-7.4 | Chelsea -6.7 | West Ham -6.1 | Everton -5.8 | Southampton -5.3 | Forest
“There’s no need to be afraid, I’m here to deliver. I’m not here as a talisman or whatever, or for murals on walls. I’m here to deliver, nothing else in my mind. But I know I’m here because of the last few years.
“I don’t like the fact that I have to pretty much rely on that. Is it right or not? We will see in the future. I am fully in, there’s no doubt, but we have to sort it.
“We cannot just continue playing like we do from time to time. Not always, thank God, but from time to time – it’s really not allowed. I’m really disappointed by us, that we do these kind of things, but they happen. We have to find a way out, that’s what we’re working on.”
Potter’s dismissal followed on from Brendan Rodgers losing his job at Leicester City, with the Foxes in 19th place.
The pair of departures came a week on from Tottenham cutting ties with Antonio Conte.
“I think both clubs [Chelsea and Leicester] are not where they expect to be,” Klopp said. “I cannot say a lot more about it. I respect them a lot. I like them both. When I met them, really good people, fantastic managers, both of them, but still, things can go the wrong way.
“When decision-makers at a club think they have to change, then they change. I think we all accept that’s part of the business.
“That’s it, a strange week. Conte was the last week, [Julian] Nagelsmann [sacked by Bayern Munich], and now these two.
The season gets into a decisive part and people are afraid of maybe not reaching their targets.
“You would have to ask the decisive people what they will say about it. For all four I mentioned, the managing future is still bright. It’s not a disaster.”
Klopp was unsure how much Potter’s dismissalwould impact Chelsea, noting he expects the Blues to set up in a similar system.
One thing he was sure about was the reaction that is required from Liverpool.
“As badly [needed] as possible,” Klopp said, before calling the defeat to City a “super strange game”.
“It’s unacceptable, but it happened anyway. Now we have to make sure we are ready, that’s it,” he added.
Graham Potter lost his job at Chelsea, but other Premier League teams still think highly of the Englishman. According to shocking new reports, the 47-year-old still has a number of suitors, including Leicester City.
In an ironic turn of events, Leicester are also searching for a new manager after letting Brendan Rodgers leave after four years in charge.
When Rodgers left the Foxes, the team was in 19th place, while Potter was fired by Chelsea after the team fell to the bottom of the standings.
Rodgers left the Foxes with the club in 19th place, while Potter was dismissed by Chelsea after the club slipped to the bottom half of the log.
For Leicester, their next managerial appointment will be crucial, especially because they are fighting relegation.
According to TalkSport, the Foxes have been huge admirers of Potter and the Englishman has been on the club’s radar from his Brighton & Hove Albion days.
Potter’s ratings shot up in 2019 when he took charge of the Seagulls, with his attractive style of football earning admirers around the league.
He was offered his first real test of a job when Chelsea sacked Thomas Tuchel in September 2022, but his stint was anything but straightforward.
In his 22 Premier League games in charge, Potter won just seven times, with Chelsea slipping from sixth to 11th during his reign.
At the moment, the Blues’ hopes for Champions League football solely hinges on them winning the competition but that in itself is an uphill task, as they face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
According to The Mail, there are other big names who are in the frame for the Leicester job. Former Newcastle and Everton manager, Rafa Benitez is among these, while Jesse Marsch, Ralph Hasenhuttl, and Adi Hutter are also considered as contenders.
Premier League managerial casualties
It was highlighted the long list of EPL managers who were fired so far this season.
A massive 12 managers have been sacked, with 10 of them starting the year as head coaches. A new record has been set for the most sackings in an EPL season after Potter exited Chelsea.
After Graham Potter was fired as the club manager, Chelsea supporters expressed their happiness on social media. On Sunday, April 2, just one day after the Blues were humiliated 2-0 by Aston Villa, Potter was fired from Stamford Bridge.
The 2021 Champions League champions have endured a frustrating run of results under the Englishman, and they are almost certainly going to miss out on a top-four spot at the end of the season.
Potter, who took over as manager only in September 2021, has presided over a dismal run of results, with Chelsea managing just 10 victories in their last 28 games.
The woeful run of form saw a section of fans call on the club to sack Potter, with their 2-0 defeat against Villa leaving the club with no choice but to get rid of the former Brighton boss.
“Chelsea FC has announced that Graham Potter has departed the club. Graham has agreed to collaborate with the Club to facilitate a smooth transition,”
Chelsea fans react to Potter’s sacking The news of Potter’s sacking sent fans into a wild meltdown, with many welcoming the drastic move.
One posted: “It’s the right move. He’ll go down in history as Chelsea’s worst-ever manager.”
A second added: “Thank you @ChelseaFC @todd_boehly @Dannythefink and all the others. It was the right thing to do.”
A third continued: “Imperium curse broken.Hard luck Mr Potter, but this was a long time coming.” Another posted: “I’ve waited for this day my whole life.” However, there are those who commiserated with Potter, with one tweeting: “All the very best to Potter, we all are sorry that it didn’t work out….
He needs more time and experience to reach Chelsea level.”
Potter praises Enzo and Mudryk
As reported earlier Potter praised two January signings, Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk, after their performances against Leicester City. The duo contributed an assist each after costing Chelsea a combined €221m in the winter transfer window contributing to more than 60% of the window’s spending.
Following Thomas Tuchel’s resignation as manager of the Champions League-winning team in September of last year, Potter, 47, left Brighton to assume control at Stamford Bridge.
However, despite inheriting a star-studded team, the former Seagulls manager was unable to maximise its potential, and a flurry of January signings seemed to make matters worse.
And the Blues have confirmed that Bruno Saltor will take charge as interim head coach following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, which saw Potter’s side slip into the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “On behalf of everyone at the club, we want to thank Graham sincerely for his contribution.
“We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and a person.
“He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome.
“Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season.
Bruno Saltor has been placed in interim charge following Graham Potter’s departure
“We have 10Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead.
“We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”
Potter, who was hampered by injuries to the likes of N’Golo Kante and Reece James, continued to chop and change his starting line-up as he attempted to find his best XI and impose his philosophy.
But Boehly and Co decided enough was enough after the limp performance against Villa left Chelsea 11th in the league.
The Blues host Liverpool on Tuesday night before heading to Wolves on Saturday.
As a result of John McGinn’s outstanding 30-yard goal, Aston Villa defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, dropping Chelsea into the bottom half of the Premier League standings and increasing the pressure on Graham Potter.
In front of an irate home crowd, the Villa captain scored 10 minutes after halftime to increase his team’s lead.
The Blues supporters had high expectations after four games during which they went undefeated in all competitions.
However, fans voiced their displeasure when Ollie Watkins stunned Potter’s team in the first half by capitalizing on an error by Marc Cucurella.
During the final siren, boos reverberated across the stadium as some fans yelled for Potter to be substituted as Chelsea’s goal-scoring woes raised their ugly heads once more.
Yet it could have been so different for the hosts had they tucked away an early gift.
Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez rolled the ball short to Boubacar Kamara, who dithered in possession and allowed Mykhailo Mudryk to nick it.
The home crowd sensed a first Chelsea goal for the Ukrainian but Martinez managed to divert his shot to safety.
Great 3 points away, against a good team, focused on the next game Tuesday. amazing fan for support 😍❤️👏🏻😃 pic.twitter.com/oBk8QdNI5B
Joao Felix showed quick, delicate feet inside the box to make space for a shot that Martinez did well to beat behind at his near post as the hosts rallied.
Mudryk’s moment finally appeared to have arrived soon after when he found space.
But he shot too early and the weak effort was easily gathered by Martinez.
Soon Chelsea’s pressure was relentless.
Ben Chilwell came close when he pulled away from McGinn down the left and struck a post, before Felix shot wide following a goalmouth scramble.
Martinez was required again, this time diving low to his left to keep out Kai Havertz’s clipped effort towards the bottom corner.
Potter’s team were on top but plenty of chances resulted in nothing more than frustration come the break.
McGinn’s goal after 55 minutes deepened their woes.
His whipped effort was hit crisply as Chelsea failed to clear a corner.
The blue shirts that flung themselves in front to try and block the shot did so in vain and the ball dropped beyond Arrizabalaga’s dive.
From there, Chelsea kept toiling, applying busy, urgent pressure, without any real penetration.
N’Golo Kante emerged from the bench to play his first minutes under Potter but there was to be no denying Unai Emery’s men.
To make matters worse for Potter, the result saw the Villans leapfrog his side as Chelsea slipped to 11th, a point behind Fulham following their defeat at Bournemouth.
Peter Okoye of the P-Square music group, one of the best-known Nigerian musicians, has explained that he has been able to convince Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to join Chelsea.
Numerous clubs in the Premier League and France are keeping an eye on Osimhen, who has been in outstanding form this season for Napoli in all competitions.
Osimhen travelled to Lagos to visit his family and friends after participating in two matches for the Super Eagles against Guinea-Bissau in the African Cup of Nations qualifying round.
Okoye shared a video on his official Instagram page, where he was seen sitting down and having a good time with Osimhen.
Okoye wants Osimhen at Chelsea In the comment session, a fan asked Okoye if he was able to speak to Osimhen on speculation about him moving to the Premier League, and the singer said he has convinced him to join Chelsea.
Peter Okoye’s statement ”I was able to convince Osimhen to come to Chelsea.” Meanwhile, Chelsea are expected to make their bid for Osimhen at the end of the ongoing League season.
Aubameyang wants Barcelona return
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported howPierre-Emerick Aubameyang is reportedly tired of sitting on the bench at Premier League side Chelsea and wants to lower his salary so as for him to make a return to La Liga giants Barcelona.
Last summer, Chelsea paid Barcelona the sum of £10 million for the signature of Aubameyang with the hopes that the Gabonese striker would help them score goals.
But since the arrival of the former Arsenal captain at Stamford Bridge, he has been struggling and has even managed to net three goals in 18 appearances this term in all competitions.
Chelsea’s star Kai Havertz has given new information about N’Golo Kante’s modest way of life. Due to his simple lifestyle, Kante is regarded as the nicest and most modest footballer in the entire world.
The French midfielder is living a low-key life, which contrasts sharply with that of the majority of football players competing at the highest level, despite collecting enormous sums of money in wages and sponsorship deals.
It’s believed that the former Leicester City star is using a Mini Cooper, which he purchased for a pitiful £20,000.
During his time with Leicester City, Kante reportedly preferred to run to practise rather than drive.
Kante has not changed a phone
Havertz has now shared a fresh insight into Kante’s humble lifestyle, which further cements the midfielder’s place as one of the modest footballers of modern history.
Havertz recently disclosed that the France international has not upgraded his phone for a decade.
Speaking to The Guardian, the German star insisted that Kante has no interest in material possessions such as flashy cars and fashion. “I’ve met different characters.
Toni Kroos is one: calm, down to earth, doesn’t care about flashy stuff. He knows life is not only football,” Havertz said. “N’Golo Kante is another.
He’s had the same phone for 10 years, doesn’t care about cars, doesn’t care about clothes. “You cannot judge people because of [spending]. If that makes them happy, I don’t care. Maybe in their heart they are also good people, they just want to act cool,” he added.
Kante promises knee-slide celebration
It was reported that Kante promised his teammates a knee-slide celebration when he scores his next goal after his injury return. Teammates Christian Pulisic, Ben Chilwell and Mykhailo Mudryk accosted the tireless midfielder in training and asked that he should do something different, particularly with his goal celebration.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is sick of being a substitute for Premier League club Chelsea and wants to negotiate a pay cut so he can join La Liga powerhouse Barcelona again.
In the hopes that the Gabonese striker would assist them in scoring goals, Chelsea paid Barcelona £10 million last summer to sign Aubameyang.
However, since the former Arsenal captain moved to Stamford Bridge, he has been having trouble and has only managed to score three goals in 18 appearances this season across all competitions.
The 33-year-old has also been frozen out of Potter’s plan at Chelsea and he is not happy about the development.
According to the report on GOAL, Aubameyang is unhappy at Chelsea and is willing to accept a pay cut to head back to Barcelona in the summer.
Will Barcelona accept him back?
The report added that the Catalans are said to be considering a one-year loan option for Aubameyang.
Barcelona have also been linked to Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are in the race to sign new striker in the summer with Nigerian star Victor Osimhen said to be their main target.
The Blues will have to go into competition with Man United who are also interested.
🚨 Chelsea are set to RIP-UP Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contract this summer.
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how Chelsea and having striker problems now looks like an established curse after the majority of their previous number 9s have failed to make impacts at the club.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined the list of failed strikers at the club almost immediately after the club shipped out £97.5m striker Romelu Lukaku on loan to Inter Milan after falling out with former coach Thomas Tuchel.
The Gabonese was brought in to replace Lukaku, but his relationship with Tuchel lasted 59 minutes on the pitch before the German was shown the exit and replaced with Graham Potter.
Italian giants Inter Milan are interested in bringing him to his former stomping ground San Siro in the summer.
Marcus Bettinelli pledged his future to the Premier League team, Chelsea.
The goalkeeper signed a contract extension that would keep him with the Blues through 2026.
After moving to Chelsea from West London rivals Fulham in 2021, Bettinelli has primarily been used as a backup option to Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy.
The 30-year-old made just one competitive appearance for the Blues last season, which came in the FA Cup match against Chesterfield, which they easily won 5-1.
He is still excited to stay by Graham Potter’s side.
He told the club’s website: “It is a privilege to be at a club like Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“A couple of years ago when I signed, I was delighted to be here, delighted to sign.
“To be here now and see the club going through this transition and seeing what we are developing, it is amazing to be a part of and I am buzzing to be here for an extra couple of years.”
Chelsea return to Premier League action after the international break when they host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Blues are 10th in the table with 11 games remaining, and 11 points shy of fourth-placed Tottenham.
One of the greatest and most effective coaches of his time is Jose Mourinho. In the media, he is not afraid to explain his position to players and club executives.
He unexpectedly agreed to a three-year contract to manage the Italian club AS Roma in 2021, just a few months after being fired by Tottenham.
After Roma qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League in his first season as manager and after they had placed seventh in Serie A the year prior, he took home the championship.
He is approaching the end of his contract with Rome and drawing interest from elite European teams, including former clubs Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as the Brazil national team, according to GIFN.
Mourinho’s demands from Roma bosses
The Special One has received limited backing in the transfer market. Despite winning a trophy and qualifying for Europa League in his first season, Transfermarkt reports that he spent €9m on improving the team while recouping €67m from sales.
Paulo Dybala, Nemanja Matic, Andrea Belotti and Ola Solbakken were free transfers while securing loan moves for Georgino Wijnaldum and Mady Camara.
According to Sky Sports, Mourinho has issued demands to the Roma bosses, which could influence his stay at the club.
He demanded a new centre-back, a new midfielder and a new striker to take Tammy Abraham’s place as he could return to England.
Mourinho’s message to Roma board
Sports Brief earlier reported that Mourinho sent a transfer message to the Roma board with his comments about Bayern Munich’s squad depth.
Speaking to the media after Roma’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16, the former Chelsea boss compared his bench to that of the German giants.
Christian Pulisic believes the United States can find comfort from breaking the Grenada away goal record.
It was the first time they had scored seven goals in a match outside the United States when they won 7-1 on Friday in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Ricardo Pepi and Weston McKennie each scored twice in the USA’s first competitive match since the World Cup.
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic also scored and assisted on four other goals.
“We came out really strong with a lot of energy and just kind of put with them right away,” Pulisic said, per ESPN.
“So I think they were kind of surprised by that. Took our goals well and just a great all-around performance. Definitely gives us confidence.”
Pulisic added in his post-game press conference: “We love scoring goals and that’s what we do. So obviously good scoreline, positive result for the team. We definitely enjoyed ourselves out there.”
7 – The @USMNT has scored seven goals in a match played outside the United States for the first time in program history. Rout. pic.twitter.com/VMWOuVYxMS
The game was also the first time USA played a competitive match without using a single MLS player since the league began in 1996.
Interim coach Anthony Hudson was impressed by what he saw from his team, but urged them to finish the job as they bid to reach the Nations League final four.
Hudson said: “With a [good] performance and a result like this, you don’t want to get carried away.
“The importance for us is just to make sure that we do all the right things between now and the next game and we finish the job off.
“But the actual performance, I thought it was the result of just a really, really good week.”
1 – With Miles Robinson a healthy scratch, the @USMNT will play a competitive match without using a single MLS player for the first time since the league began in 1996. Global. pic.twitter.com/Pitx2lt41e
Thomas Tuchel is set to start making a difference at Bayern Munich by targeting his former club. Tuchel was named the new head coach of Bayern Munich on March 24th, following the dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann.
Tuchel’s first job since being fired by Chelsea in September of last year, with the manager now set to oversee the remainder of the season and the next two years.
Bayern is currently involved in a three-way Bundesliga battle as well as a Champions League quarterfinal clash with Manchester City.
According to reports, Tuchel is planning to hire Chelsea’s highly regarded Anthony Barry as a member of his coaching staff.
Barry was signed by Frank Lampard and stayed when the Chelsea legend was fired in 2021.
The 36-year-old then remained to help Graham Potter when he took over from Tuchel last year. As the Telegraph reports, Chelsea are preparing to convince Barry not to move to Munich.
Kovacic and Mendy deals
Apart from Barry, Football London, via Calciomercato, additionally adds that Tuchel could prompt the Bavarians to move for Mateo Kovacic and Edouard Mendy in the summer.
Both players’ futures at Chelsea remain uncertain amid the abrasive shake-up undertaken by Todd Boehly.
Kovacic and Mendy were among the most trusted lieutenants of Tuchel during his reign at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel’s first assignment after the international break will be a reunion against his other former side Borussia Dortmund in the Der Klassiker. Dortmund currently lead Bayern by a point.
Why Chelsea sacked Tuchel
Previously, it was reported that it has been close to six months since Thomas Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea.
It was a decision not many fans and pundits agreed with, as the new owners decided to bring in now-embattled Graham Potter as his replacement.
At the time of his sacking, the Blues weren’t performing well, but co-owner, Todd Boehly revealed the German wasn’t sacked entirely because of on-pitch results and rather because the club was being steered in a new direction – one which Tuchel was not seen as the right person to do.
Missy Bo Kearns believes she has discovered the secret to success in the Women’s Super League as Liverpool seeks derby redemption.
The Reds were defeated 3-0 by Everton at Anfield in September, but a win at Goodison Park will bring them within three points of the Toffees.
It’s been an up-and-down season for promoted Liverpool, who have struggled to find their feet after starting the season with a win over reigning champions Chelsea.
But Kearns, the Reds’ youngest captain ever at 20 years old, is ready to show off her personal growth and help her team win tonight’s game.
Speaking exclusively to LiveScore, the now 21-year-old said: “The past few games I have been quite consistent.
“In the first half of the season, I would have a game where I was playing well and then have one where I would dip for 10 minutes and it was a bit inconsistent.
“Now all of that has gone and I know I can hold my own so it’s all about pushing to get better each week and not settling for average and that is what my focus has been on since Christmas.
“Everyone knows that the last result against Everton wasn’t good enough. We got beaten at Anfield but we get another opportunity now and we want to win, especially in a derby.
“The last time we played them was a big occasion, we had justbeaten Chelsea and expectations were high.
“We have played plenty of games at this level and it is the Merseyside derby but it is still just a normal game. It’s just a pitch with two goals and four corners and that is what we need to focus on, we can’t let the occasion get to us.”
earns is enjoying her first full season in the WSL and popped up with the decisive goal in the recent 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Her performances in past weeks were enough to earn her Liverpool’s Player of the Month award for February, which was a special moment for the academy graduate.
On the recognition, she said: “For me, it’s about the team and the results but the fans voting me for a personal award gives you a boost and it shows that my recent performances must have been satisfying for them.
“I have scored a few goals recently and anywhere I can help the team is the best thing to me and I feel like I am improving every week and getting stronger every game and adapting to the style of the WSL.
“Since I was 10 years old I said I am going to be a professional footballer and I have never looked back. I have worked hard and got to where I wanted to be.”
Missy Bo Kearns is pushing for her first senior England call-up
England’s success at Euro 2022 has sparked excitement over the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand — and Kearns is determined to make the step up to the senior squad.
Currently a key part of the Under-23s set-up, the versatile midfielder has been enjoying her international football this season and has vowed to keep working in order to eventually earn a call-up from Sarina Wiegman.
She said: “This year I have had experience against top nations and showcasing what I can do.
“I am going there with lots of confidence and getting lots of goals and assists which is benefitting me when I come back to the club because I want to keep pushing and you never know who is watching you.
“I am friends with a few of the girls in the senior team and we speak regularly. If I am doing well they will send me a message after the game and vice versa.
“It is nice that players older and more experienced than me are giving me credit when I am doing well and I know if ever need any advice then credit when I am doing well and I know if ever need any advice then I can go to them.”
Mason Mount has seen his Chelsea minutes slump this season and a recent withdrawal from the England squad sums up a wretched period for the injured midfielder.
The Blues struggled in the opening weeks of the season under Thomas Tuchel and are now trying to find consistency with Graham Potter at the helm.
As the campaign enters its final months, Mount’s future remains unclear and the two-time Champions League winners remain at risk of missing out on a spot in Europe’s top competition next term.
We take a look at the academy graduate’s options ahead of an important summer for both player and club.
Money talks
At the end of this season, Mount will be at a crossroads.
The England star, 24, looks to have already made his first move by partnering with experienced agent Neil Fewings to help resolve his contract situation.
The 36-cap international has been in talks with the Blues over a potential new deal but no agreement has been reached, with reports of him wanting a substantial pay increase.
Mason Mount has not been as effective in front of goal for Chelsea this season
Should co-owner Todd Boehly refuse to sanction a bumper offer, Mount would likely work with his advisers to manufacture a move away from Stamford Bridge.
His current deal is set to expire in 2024, meaning a transfer is logical for all parties if a renewal becomes unrealistic.
Liverpool and Manchester United have emerged as frontrunners for his signature and are supposedly more willing to adhere to Mount’s salary demands.
Pay his worth
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has sided with Mount in his ongoing contract saga, urging Chelsea to pay the homegrown talent what he wants.
Mount is thought to currently earn around £80,000 a week, which is less than a quarter of the whopping £325k weekly wage reportedly collected by team-mate Raheem Sterling.
And Merson has blasted Chelsea for their approach to the situation. He said: “Mount was by far Chelsea’s best player last season. He was outstanding.
“You don’t offload your best players. There are so many players that need to get shipped out of this Chelsea squad before Mount.
“The kid can play. It’s bad business by Chelsea — they should give him what he’s asking for.”
Mounting problems
Mason Mount has struggled to hit the target for Chelsea this season
Last season, Mount scored 11 times and notched a further 10 assists in the Premier League — but he has only tallied five goal contributions in 23 outings this term.
He has also seen his attempted take-ons, chances created, shots and passes attempted per game all drop.
Mount has veered away from his familiar direct style of play and is recording more long balls, with a lower passing accuracy than he boasted under Tuchel in 2021-22.
Per 90 minutes, the Portsmouth native is averaging 0.49 shots on target compared to 1.1 in the previous campaign and 1.59 chances created, compared to 2.21 last season.
That lack of success in the final third may well by why club chiefs are stalling on handing out a new contract.
Gone to Pott
Graham Potter has not been able to get the best out of Mason Mount yet
Potter himself has admitted that Mount is suffering and has refused to offer his support on the contract situation, with the English tactician preferring to leave that side of things to his superiors.
He said: “In terms of the contract, that’s between him and club. I’m the head coach and I get on with my job to work with the players and help them improve.
“At the moment, we’re not doing that as well as we like so that’s the focus for me.”
Mount has not played 90 minutes for Potter since the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in January.
And after going eight games without a goal in the top flight, it does seem he is uncomfortable in Potter’s new-look line-up.
Mount must decide the best course of action sooner rather than later or he risks his career heading into decline.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s weekend trip to Spain to watch El Clasico may have been the deciding factor in his departure from Chelsea.
The striker, who signed with Chelsea in the summer, has had a difficult few months since Thomas Tuchel, the manager who signed him, was fired and replaced by Graham Potter.
He was still playing for the club because of a FIFA rule that states players are only allowed to represent two clubs during a given season.
Although a gap in the law that might have allowed him to sign with MLS teams was discovered, the Gabonese man decided against joining LA Galaxy in February.
Chelsea could terminate Aubameyang’s contract
As reported by Express, the former Arsenal striker’s omission from the UEFA Champions League squad summed up his disastrous time at Chelsea, and he is yet to feature.
His recent trip to Spain and his appearance in Barcelona’s dressing room has reportedly left the Chelsea’s bosses furious and willing to terminate his contract in the summer so he can move on a free transfer, as reported by Goal.
He has played 18 times for the London club scoring three goals, one in the league against Crystal Palace and two in the Champions League against his former club AC Milan, which helped the Blues progress out of the group stage.
Auba plays mini-game in Milan
The 33-year-old looks unbothered by his current situation at the club and seems to be enjoying his £260,000 per week salary happily away from the team. As Sports Brief reported, Auba was spotted playing five-aside in Milan while wearing his Chelsea kit.
He uploaded the video on his Instagram story. The move appeared to show his nonchalance, but it was reported to have been a sanctioned break by the club for the out-of-favour striker, and he has not featured in the team since then.
All-conquering Lyon have been crowned queens of Europe on a record eight occasions, including in six of the last seven seasons.
And while Wales skipper Ingle, 31, is relishing the opportunity to stun the holders, the deep-lying midfielder knows how tough it will be at the Groupama Stadium.
Speaking exclusively to LiveScore, she said: “It’s another massive game. We all know how good Lyon are but we’re excited for it.
“You always want to play in these big games and big moments. I’ve heard they’ve got a good crowd coming, which should make the atmosphere even better.
“It’s going to be a very tough match. I think it’ll come down to if we get our defensive shape right and make it hard for them when they have the ball because they’re very good in possession.
“Especially when they counter-attack, if we’re sloppy in possession they’ll potentially hurt us, so we have to get that right.”
Back to the Bridge
Sophie Ingle starred in Chelsea’s impressive 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in December
Blues boss Emma Hayes will be keen to take a positive result into the return tie at Stamford Bridge on March 30.
Given her side usually play their home matches at the Kingsmeadow, which has a capacity of 4,850, it is certain to be a special occasion.
A crowd of more than 10,000 roared the Blues to a 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Bridge in December, which saw them seal top spot in Group A.
Ingle, who played a key role in Chelsea’s run to the Champions League final in 2020-21, hopes a similar experience lies in store next week.
She added: “It’s going to be amazing. It was a great atmosphere with a big crowd against PSG.
“Getting to experience Stamford Bridge is great for our fans and for some it’s quite a lot closer to where they live, so it makes it a bit easier on the night.
“It’s a huge stadium and hopefully we can pack it out as much as possible.”
Fine margins
Sophie Ingle believes Chelsea are not far away from winning the Champions League
Arsenal’s 2007 triumph remains the sole occasion an English club has won the Women’s Champions League.
Yet with many of the game’s top talent now plying their trade in the WSL, it should only be a matter of time before more teams follow suit.
For Ingle, who has won more than 100 caps for her country, showing more adaptability against Europe’s best is the key.
She said: “I honestly think it’s just fine margins at this level. European football is the next step up from league football.
“It’s a different way of playing. The referees are different. There are different types of opponents we don’t play week in, week out.
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