PSG beat Bayern Munich in the semis, Liverpool in the quarter-finals, Chelsea in the Round of 16 and Monaco in the knockout phase to enter their second consecutive Champions League final.

PSG beat Bayern Munich in the semis, Liverpool in the quarter-finals, Chelsea in the Round of 16 and Monaco in the knockout phase to enter their second consecutive Champions League final.

Champions League | Defending champions PSG's road to final

Man City can close the gap within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand next week after the eight-time winners hammered Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (April 12). Starting the day nine points behind Arsenal, but with two games in hand, the clash was supposed to be a litmus test for Citizens, but three second half goals from Pep Guardiola’s men have now seen them in the driving seat ahead of next week’s super clash.<h2>City rout Chelsea</h2>Guardiola's side produced a devastating spell immediately after half-time, with Nico O'Reilly and Marc Guehi scoring in the space of six minutes at Stamford Bridge. Jeremy Doku wrapped up a statement victory to ensure City took advantage of Arsenal's shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday.&nbsp;Second-placed City are now only six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, setting up a seismic showdown against the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. Having beaten Arsenal in the League Cup final and thrashed Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, City are hitting form at just the right time. Their bid for a seventh English title under Guardiola appeared to be fading after successive draws with strugglers West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their previous two league matches.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-cameron-green-to-liam-livingstone-5-most-expensive-players-in-ipl-2026-auctions-matheesha-pathirana-kartik-sharma-prashant-veer-1774031148132">From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions</a>&nbsp;A disjointed first half against Chelsea suggested City might waste a golden opportunity to pile pressure on Arsenal. But Guardiola's half-time team-talk had the desired effect and City can now target next weekend's do-or-die visit from Mikel Arteta's spluttering team.&nbsp;If City win that blockbuster clash, they will be within three points of Arsenal, who blew substantial leads in the 2023 and 2024 title races, allowing Guardiola's men to pip them to the trophy. Arteta said the defeat to Bournemouth was a "punch in the face" and City's success in west London was another body blow for the Spaniard.&nbsp;City have won 29 of their 32 league games in the month of April in recent seasons, underlining their ability to thrive when the title pressure mounts.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-sanju-samson-5-highest-individual-score-in-a-lost-chase-in-ipl-yusuf-pathan-kl-rahul-shaun-marsh-ipl-2026-1774084136030">From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL</a>&nbsp;After winning their first four league matches following Liam Rosenior's arrival from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have won just one of their last seven, losing three in a row to leave the Blues boss facing some difficult questions.&nbsp;Chelsea, who haven't beaten City since the 2021 Champions League final, were again without Enzo Fernandez after Rosenior's controversial decision to drop the Argentine midfielder for hinting he might leave in the summer.

Starting the day nine points behind Arsenal, but with two games in hand, the clash was supposed to be a litmus test for Citizens, but three second half goals from Pep Guardiola’s men have now seen them in the driving seat ahead of next week’s super clash.

Man City can close the gap within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand next week after the eight-time winners hammered Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (April 12). Starting the day nine points behind Arsenal, but with two games in hand, the clash was supposed to be a litmus test for Citizens, but three second half goals from Pep Guardiola’s men have now seen them in the driving seat ahead of next week’s super clash. City rout Chelsea Guardiola's side produced a devastating spell immediately after half-time, with Nico O'Reilly and Marc Guehi scoring in the space of six minutes at Stamford Bridge. Jeremy Doku wrapped up a statement victory to ensure City took advantage of Arsenal's shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday. Second-placed City are now only six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, setting up a seismic showdown against the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. Having beaten Arsenal in the League Cup final and thrashed Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, City are hitting form at just the right time. Their bid for a seventh English title under Guardiola appeared to be fading after successive draws with strugglers West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their previous two league matches. ALSO READ | From Cameron Green to Liam Livingstone, 5 most expensive players in IPL 2026 auctions A disjointed first half against Chelsea suggested City might waste a golden opportunity to pile pressure on Arsenal. But Guardiola's half-time team-talk had the desired effect and City can now target next weekend's do-or-die visit from Mikel Arteta's spluttering team. If City win that blockbuster clash, they will be within three points of Arsenal, who blew substantial leads in the 2023 and 2024 title races, allowing Guardiola's men to pip them to the trophy. Arteta said the defeat to Bournemouth was a "punch in the face" and City's success in west London was another body blow for the Spaniard. City have won 29 of their 32 league games in the month of April in recent seasons, underlining their ability to thrive when the title pressure mounts. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Sanju Samson, 5 highest individual scores in a lost chase in IPL After winning their first four league matches following Liam Rosenior's arrival from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have won just one of their last seven, losing three in a row to leave the Blues boss facing some difficult questions. Chelsea, who haven't beaten City since the 2021 Champions League final, were again without Enzo Fernandez after Rosenior's controversial decision to drop the Argentine midfielder for hinting he might leave in the summer.

Starting the day nine points behind Arsenal, but with two games in hand, the clash was supposed to be a litmus test for Citizens, but three second half goals from Pep Guardiola’s men have now seen them in the driving seat ahead of next week’s super clash.

Premier League: Man City hammer Chelsea to gain title race momentum ahead of crunch Arsenal clash

Former Chelsea and Brazil star Oscar has announced his retirement at the age of 34 due to cardiac-related issues, Sao Paulo confirmed on Saturday. The attacking midfielder was hospitalized for five days in November after fainting during a routine medical check-up and has not played since. Doctors diagnosed him with vasovagal syncope, a condition where a sudden drop in blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow to the brain can occur, leaving him unable to continue his career. Oscar’s contract with Sao Paulo was set to run until 2027.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-is-ashok-sharma-gt-pacer-who-clocked-154-2-kmph-vs-rr-in-ahmedabad-1775360186122">Who is Ashok Sharma? GT pacer who clocked 154.2 kmph vs RR in Ahmedabad</a>&nbsp;"I am ending a career here in Sao Paulo that has taken me practically to the four corners of the world," the former Chelsea and Shanghai Port player said in a club statement.&nbsp;Oscar played for five seasons with Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and the Europa League, before moving to Shanghai in 2017, where he won three Chinese Super League titles.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2026-rajasthan-royals-down-gujarat-titans-in-last-over-thriller-to-continue-flawless-run-ravi-bishnoi-1775319178970">IPL 2026: Rajasthan down Gujarat in last-over thriller to continue flawless run</a>&nbsp;In 2025, he returned to Sao Paulo where he started his career. Capped 48 times for Brazil, Oscar won the FIFA Confederations Cup and played in the 2014 World Cup on home soil.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

Oscar had moved from Chelsea to Shanghai Port FC before returning to his boyhood club, Sao Paulo, in 2024, where he played his last professional match.

Former Chelsea and Brazil star Oscar has announced his retirement at the age of 34 due to cardiac-related issues, Sao Paulo confirmed on Saturday. The attacking midfielder was hospitalized for five days in November after fainting during a routine medical check-up and has not played since. Doctors diagnosed him with vasovagal syncope, a condition where a sudden drop in blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow to the brain can occur, leaving him unable to continue his career. Oscar’s contract with Sao Paulo was set to run until 2027. Also Read - Who is Ashok Sharma? GT pacer who clocked 154.2 kmph vs RR in Ahmedabad "I am ending a career here in Sao Paulo that has taken me practically to the four corners of the world," the former Chelsea and Shanghai Port player said in a club statement. Oscar played for five seasons with Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and the Europa League, before moving to Shanghai in 2017, where he won three Chinese Super League titles. Also Read - IPL 2026: Rajasthan down Gujarat in last-over thriller to continue flawless run In 2025, he returned to Sao Paulo where he started his career. Capped 48 times for Brazil, Oscar won the FIFA Confederations Cup and played in the 2014 World Cup on home soil. With inputs from agencies

Oscar had moved from Chelsea to Shanghai Port FC before returning to his boyhood club, Sao Paulo, in 2024, where he played his last professional match.

Former Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Oscar announces retirement

Chelsea suffered a humiliating 5-2 loss against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday (Mar 11) in Champions League Round of 16 first leg match at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. The Chelsea players did not take the invitable loss very well in the dying moments of the match as Pedro Neto shoved a ball boy to get the ball. The behaviour sparked criticism and scolding from the PSG players on ground and later on, Pedro agreed to letting 'emotions' getting better of him. The loss has put Chelsea on brink of exit from the European supremacy tournament with little chance of overcoming the deficit in the second leg next week.<h2>Why Chelsea's Pedro shoved ball boy during Champions League R16 match?</h2>The ball went out of bounds in the last minutes of the game and Pedro tryied to get the ball in the quickly. In doing so, he overstepped his authority and shoved the ball boy to get the hold of the football. The ball boy was doing his job, picking up the ball and waiting for the player to come and collect, Pedro instead became physical to get it like a bullying kid playing on the street. Have a look at the video below:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">O Pedro Neto empurrou o gandula pra pegar a bola 😳 <a href="https://t.co/FvJMRcMZ5S">pic.twitter.com/FvJMRcMZ5S</a>&mdash; DataFut (@DataFutebol) <a href="https://twitter.com/DataFutebol/status/2031865685425504648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-r16-real-madrid-trounce-man-city-psg-sink-chelsea-and-arsenal-draw-against-levekusen-1773278285948">Champions League R16 | Real Madrid trounce Man City, PSG sink Chelsea</a>The move triggred a righfully angered reaction from the PSG players who scolded the visiting footballer for his actions which sent the ball boy tumbling down towards the advertising boards.<h2>What did Pedro Neto say about shoving the ball boy?</h2>The Chelsea player, after the match, came to his senses and acknowledged his mistake. “I want to come out and apologize for what happened on the pitch,” Neto told TNT Sports after the game. “I’ve spoken with the ball boy. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push. I saw that I hurt him and I am sorry, as I’m not like this."To make up for his mistake, the Chelsea player "gave him (ball boy) my shirt as well. He was happy that I gave him the shirt and said sorry like, 35 times."

Chelsea's Pedro Neto shoving the ball boy vs PSG in Champions League R16 match triggred a righfully angered reaction from the PSG players who scolded the visiting footballer for his actions which sent the ball boy tumbling down towards the advertising boards.

Chelsea suffered a humiliating 5-2 loss against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday (Mar 11) in Champions League Round of 16 first leg match at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. The Chelsea players did not take the invitable loss very well in the dying moments of the match as Pedro Neto shoved a ball boy to get the ball. The behaviour sparked criticism and scolding from the PSG players on ground and later on, Pedro agreed to letting 'emotions' getting better of him. The loss has put Chelsea on brink of exit from the European supremacy tournament with little chance of overcoming the deficit in the second leg next week. Why Chelsea's Pedro shoved ball boy during Champions League R16 match? The ball went out of bounds in the last minutes of the game and Pedro tryied to get the ball in the quickly. In doing so, he overstepped his authority and shoved the ball boy to get the hold of the football. The ball boy was doing his job, picking up the ball and waiting for the player to come and collect, Pedro instead became physical to get it like a bullying kid playing on the street. Have a look at the video below:

Chelsea's Pedro Neto shoving the ball boy vs PSG in Champions League R16 match triggred a righfully angered reaction from the PSG players who scolded the visiting footballer for his actions which sent the ball boy tumbling down towards the advertising boards.

Champions League | WATCH - Chelsea's Pedro Neto shoves ball boy during humiliating loss vs PSG

The Champions League Round of 16 has thrown up some interesting draws, as some heavyweights of the game are set to collide in the pre-quarterfinal stage. In the draws made on Friday (Feb 27), Man City have been drawn against Real Madrid, as the two rivals meet again, having also squared off in the league stage. In another tie, defending champions PSG face Chelsea in a repeat of the Club World Cup final. Spurs, on the other hand, have been paired off with Atletico Madrid as the two will meet for the first time in a competitive match since 1963.<h2>Real Madrid-Man City to face off again</h2>The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host City in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return the following week.&nbsp;The clubs have already played each other this season, with Pep Guardiola's City winning 2-1 in Madrid in December during the league phase, in which the Premier League club finished eighth and Real ninth.&nbsp;That allowed City, Champions League winners in 2023, to advance straight to the last 16 while Madrid had to come through the knockout phase play-offs, in which they beat Benfica 3-1 on aggregate.<h2>2025-26 Champions League round of 16: Full draw</h2>- PSG vs Chelsea- Galatasaray vs Liverpool- Real Madrid vs City- Atalanta vs Bayern Munich&nbsp;- Newcastle vs Barcelona- Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham- Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting- Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;PSG will be at home to Chelsea in the first leg after qualifying for this stage with a 5-4 aggregate win over Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-offs. Chelsea progressed straight to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the league phase.&nbsp;There is a record total of six English clubs in the last 16. None will play each other in the last 16 but there are two potential all-English quarter-finals.&nbsp;Liverpool will have a last-16 rematch against Galatasaray, the Turkish giants having defeated the Anfield club 1-0 in September in the league phase.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Newcastle United will take on Barcelona with the first leg at St James' Park -- the Spanish side won 2-1 there during the league phase in September.&nbsp;Tottenham Hotspur were drawn to play Atletico Madrid, with the winners of that tie then facing Newcastle or Barcelona in the last eight.&nbsp;Arsenal, who finished first in the league phase, will come up against Bayer Leverkusen and if they win that would then be huge favourites in a quarter-final against Bodo/Glimt or Sporting of Portugal.

In the draws made on Friday (Feb 27), Man City have been drawn against Real Madrid, as the two rivals meet again, having also squared off in the league stage. In another tie, defending champions PSG face Chelsea in a repeat of the Club World Cup final. 

The Champions League Round of 16 has thrown up some interesting draws, as some heavyweights of the game are set to collide in the pre-quarterfinal stage. In the draws made on Friday (Feb 27), Man City have been drawn against Real Madrid, as the two rivals meet again, having also squared off in the league stage. In another tie, defending champions PSG face Chelsea in a repeat of the Club World Cup final. Spurs, on the other hand, have been paired off with Atletico Madrid as the two will meet for the first time in a competitive match since 1963. Real Madrid-Man City to face off again The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host City in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return the following week. The clubs have already played each other this season, with Pep Guardiola's City winning 2-1 in Madrid in December during the league phase, in which the Premier League club finished eighth and Real ninth. That allowed City, Champions League winners in 2023, to advance straight to the last 16 while Madrid had to come through the knockout phase play-offs, in which they beat Benfica 3-1 on aggregate. 2025-26 Champions League round of 16: Full draw - PSG vs Chelsea - Galatasaray vs Liverpool - Real Madrid vs City - Atalanta vs Bayern Munich - Newcastle vs Barcelona - Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham - Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting - Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds PSG will be at home to Chelsea in the first leg after qualifying for this stage with a 5-4 aggregate win over Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-offs. Chelsea progressed straight to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the league phase. There is a record total of six English clubs in the last 16. None will play each other in the last 16 but there are two potential all-English quarter-finals. Liverpool will have a last-16 rematch against Galatasaray, the Turkish giants having defeated the Anfield club 1-0 in September in the league phase. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Meanwhile, Newcastle United will take on Barcelona with the first leg at St James' Park -- the Spanish side won 2-1 there during the league phase in September. Tottenham Hotspur were drawn to play Atletico Madrid, with the winners of that tie then facing Newcastle or Barcelona in the last eight. Arsenal, who finished first in the league phase, will come up against Bayer Leverkusen and if they win that would then be huge favourites in a quarter-final against Bodo/Glimt or Sporting of Portugal.

In the draws made on Friday (Feb 27), Man City have been drawn against Real Madrid, as the two rivals meet again, having also squared off in the league stage. In another tie, defending champions PSG face Chelsea in a repeat of the Club World Cup final.&nbsp;

Champions League: Man City-Real Madrid to square off in R16, PSG face Chelsea in high-voltage clash

Benjamin Sesko was Manchester United’s late hero as he helped the Red Devils salvage a point in their Premier League clash against West Ham United on Tuesday (Feb 10). Playing at the London Stadium, United were trailing 1-0 after Tomas Soucek gave the home side a vital lead. However, the late goal had implications on both ends of the table, with West Ham rooted in a relegation battle, while United stayed in the top four. Elsewhere, Spurs lost 1-2 at home to Newcastle United while Chelsea drew 2-2 against Leeds.<h2>Ending of win streak for Carrick-ball</h2>Having taken over as the boss after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, Manchester United enjoyed a real revival as they went four wins in a row in the Premier League, beating Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham and Tottenham. However, the run was halted on Tuesday after Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham gave a real fight. In a game fought closely, United had the best chances in the first half but failed to convert from their chances.&nbsp;However, it was the Hammers who struck the first blow as Soucek turned home a Jarrod Bowen ball in the 50th minute. United then launched a series of attacks, including a neat finish from Casemiro in the 61st minute. However, the goal was ruled out for an offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). United, however, continued their ball dominance but failed to equalize.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;Callum Wilson had a couple of great chances to finish the match and seal three points for the Hammers, but he was denied by the traveling defense. However, those mistakes came back to bite the Hammers when Sesko turned a cross into the goal in the 96th-minute. The goal meant Carrick and Co walked away with a point and kept hold of their place in the top four but failed to go third.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a><h2>Chelsea, Spurs drop points</h2>Elsewhere, Tottenham’s poor home form continued after they lost to Newcastle United 1-2 at home. Archie Gray scored Tottenham’s equalizing goal in the 63rd minute, with Malick Thiaw having given the Magpies a 1-0 lead at the stroke of half time. However, a first goal from Jacob Ramsey sealed all three points for Newcastle. Chelsea, on the other flip side, drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge while Everton were beaten 1-2 at home by Bournemouth.

Playing at the London Stadium, United were trailing 1-0 after Tomas Soucek gave the home side a vital lead. However, the late goal for Manchester United had implications on both ends of the table, with West Ham rooted in a relegation battle, while the Red Devils stayed in the top four. 

Benjamin Sesko was Manchester United’s late hero as he helped the Red Devils salvage a point in their Premier League clash against West Ham United on Tuesday (Feb 10). Playing at the London Stadium, United were trailing 1-0 after Tomas Soucek gave the home side a vital lead. However, the late goal had implications on both ends of the table, with West Ham rooted in a relegation battle, while United stayed in the top four. Elsewhere, Spurs lost 1-2 at home to Newcastle United while Chelsea drew 2-2 against Leeds. Ending of win streak for Carrick-ball Having taken over as the boss after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, Manchester United enjoyed a real revival as they went four wins in a row in the Premier League, beating Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham and Tottenham. However, the run was halted on Tuesday after Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham gave a real fight. In a game fought closely, United had the best chances in the first half but failed to convert from their chances. However, it was the Hammers who struck the first blow as Soucek turned home a Jarrod Bowen ball in the 50th minute. United then launched a series of attacks, including a neat finish from Casemiro in the 61st minute. However, the goal was ruled out for an offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). United, however, continued their ball dominance but failed to equalize. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Callum Wilson had a couple of great chances to finish the match and seal three points for the Hammers, but he was denied by the traveling defense. However, those mistakes came back to bite the Hammers when Sesko turned a cross into the goal in the 96th-minute. The goal meant Carrick and Co walked away with a point and kept hold of their place in the top four but failed to go third. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Chelsea, Spurs drop points Elsewhere, Tottenham’s poor home form continued after they lost to Newcastle United 1-2 at home. Archie Gray scored Tottenham’s equalizing goal in the 63rd minute, with Malick Thiaw having given the Magpies a 1-0 lead at the stroke of half time. However, a first goal from Jacob Ramsey sealed all three points for Newcastle. Chelsea, on the other flip side, drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge while Everton were beaten 1-2 at home by Bournemouth.

Playing at the London Stadium, United were trailing 1-0 after Tomas Soucek gave the home side a vital lead. However, the late goal for Manchester United had implications on both ends of the table, with West Ham rooted in a relegation battle, while the Red Devils stayed in the top four.&nbsp;

Premier League: Sesko rescues Man Utd with 96th-minute equaliser; Chelsea, Spurs drop points at home

Paul Merson was left flabbergasted by Chelsea's approach in the 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg defeat to Arsenal.


EFL Cup: Arsenal Defeat Chelsea 4-2 on Aggregate at the Emirates Stadiums

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach on a 5½-year contract.


Chelsea Announce Liam Rosenior as New Head Coach on Long-Term Contract 

England's top flight football Chelsea has announced appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach. The Premier League club made the announcement on Tuesday (Jan 6). The 41-year-old called the opportunity he 'cannot turn down.' Rosenior has never coached the Premier League and has only three years of experience as coach.The 41-year-old said earlier Tuesday during a farewell press conference at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg that he had "verbally agreed" on the move to Stamford Bridge. The move was rubber-stamped shortly afterwards.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/steve-smith-chases-don-bradman-ashes-record-with-scg-ton-as-australia-take-lead-on-day-3-vs-england-1767692836056">Smith chases Bradman’s Ashes record with SCG ton as Australia take lead on day 3</a>"I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club," Rosenior said in a statement on Chelsea's website."This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies."My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies."Rosenior has just three years' experience as a manager and has never coached in the Premier League.He had been widely touted as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday.Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo.The former Hull City manager will become Chelsea's fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022.Rosenior said he had wanted to announce the news himself in Strasbourg because of his deep feelings for the club."Everything is agreed and it will probably go through in the next few hours," he told reporters."I'm here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on."Rosenior, whose father Leroy was also a player and then a manager, has never faced the kind of media glare that will await him in west London."I'm so excited about the future. I cannot lie. My whole life I've worked to be a coach," he said."To be presented with this opportunity to manage a world-class football club is something I've always dreamed of."With that is a mixed emotion of sadness of what I'm leaving behind."Rosenior played in the Premier League and Championship. His clubs included Fulham, Reading and Hull City.He worked as a coach at Derby under Phillip Cocu and Wayne Rooney.He briefly replaced Rooney on an interim basis in 2022 and later that year took over as manager of Hull in the Championship, England's second flight.He was sacked after 18 months and in July 2024 was appointed by Strasbourg, who he guided to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season.Maresca won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup during his first season at Stamford Bridge.But tensions emerged in recent weeks and his reign came to an abrupt end on New Year's Day.Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane took charge of Chelsea for Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester City.They travel to London rivals Fulham on Wednesday.

Chelsea has announced appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach. The Premier League club made the announcement on Tuesday (Jan 6).

England's top flight football Chelsea has announced appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach. The Premier League club made the announcement on Tuesday (Jan 6). The 41-year-old called the opportunity he 'cannot turn down.' Rosenior has never coached the Premier League and has only three years of experience as coach. The 41-year-old said earlier Tuesday during a farewell press conference at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg that he had "verbally agreed" on the move to Stamford Bridge. The move was rubber-stamped shortly afterwards. Also Read - Smith chases Bradman’s Ashes record with SCG ton as Australia take lead on day 3 "I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club," Rosenior said in a statement on Chelsea's website. "This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies. "My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies." Rosenior has just three years' experience as a manager and has never coached in the Premier League. He had been widely touted as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday. Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo. The former Hull City manager will become Chelsea's fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022. Rosenior said he had wanted to announce the news himself in Strasbourg because of his deep feelings for the club. "Everything is agreed and it will probably go through in the next few hours," he told reporters. "I'm here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on." Rosenior, whose father Leroy was also a player and then a manager, has never faced the kind of media glare that will await him in west London. "I'm so excited about the future. I cannot lie. My whole life I've worked to be a coach," he said. "To be presented with this opportunity to manage a world-class football club is something I've always dreamed of. "With that is a mixed emotion of sadness of what I'm leaving behind." Rosenior played in the Premier League and Championship. His clubs included Fulham, Reading and Hull City. He worked as a coach at Derby under Phillip Cocu and Wayne Rooney. He briefly replaced Rooney on an interim basis in 2022 and later that year took over as manager of Hull in the Championship, England's second flight. He was sacked after 18 months and in July 2024 was appointed by Strasbourg, who he guided to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season. Maresca won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup during his first season at Stamford Bridge. But tensions emerged in recent weeks and his reign came to an abrupt end on New Year's Day. Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane took charge of Chelsea for Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester City. They travel to London rivals Fulham on Wednesday.

Chelsea has announced appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach. The Premier League club made the announcement on Tuesday (Jan 6).

Premier League club Chelsea names Liam Rosenior as new head coach

Enzo Fernandez dealt a massive blow to Manchester City's Premier League title hopes with a 94th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for managerless Chelsea at the Etihad. Tijjani Reijnders had blasted City into a deserved half-time lead, but they lost central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury in the second half and then blew two points in the dying seconds when Fernandez prodded in at the back post. A point is only good enough to edge City back above Aston Villa in second on goal difference and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.&nbsp;Chelsea were under the caretaker charge of the club's under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday.&nbsp;The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second half display to close within three points of the top four.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-eyes-2036-olympics-pm-modi-says-hosting-mega-events-key-for-athletes-1767543517128">India eyes 2036 Olympics, PM Modi says hosting mega events key for athletes</a>&nbsp;City were able to welcome Rodri back for his first start since early October and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world's best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024.&nbsp;Only wasteful finishing in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday cost Pep Guardiola's men a ninth consecutive win and they were again guilty of letting their opposition off the hook before the break.&nbsp;After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the chances began to flow for the home side as Phil Foden fired just wide before Bernardo Silva curled just over the bar.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-michael-vaughan-harry-brook-jason-gillespie-think-about-bad-light-ending-day-one-play-at-scg-1767517509882">Here’s what Vaughan, Gillespie think about bad light ending day one play at SCG</a>&nbsp;Filip Jorgensen made his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to an injury to Robert Sanchez and produced a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland's deflected effort behind.&nbsp;Haaland was practically wheeling away in celebration moments later when his curling shot crashed off the inside of the post.&nbsp;City's pressure finally told three minutes before the break when Reijnders wriggled clear inside the box before blasting a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post. Within seconds of the restart, City nearly threw all their good first half work away.&nbsp;An ankle injury to Gvardiol left City undermanned at the back as Chelsea broke forward and Pedro Neto spooned over the bar from point-blank range.&nbsp;Chelsea targeted Gvardiol's replacement Abdukodir Khusanov in their search for an equaliser and City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Liam Delap out from a narrow angle.&nbsp;Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the death with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine got to the rebound first to tap in.&nbsp;Numerous City players fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal close in on their first league title for 22 years.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for&nbsp;WION&nbsp;audience.

The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second half display to close within three points of the top four.

Enzo Fernandez dealt a massive blow to Manchester City's Premier League title hopes with a 94th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for managerless Chelsea at the Etihad. Tijjani Reijnders had blasted City into a deserved half-time lead, but they lost central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury in the second half and then blew two points in the dying seconds when Fernandez prodded in at the back post. A point is only good enough to edge City back above Aston Villa in second on goal difference and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Arsenal. Chelsea were under the caretaker charge of the club's under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday. The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second half display to close within three points of the top four. Also Read - India eyes 2036 Olympics, PM Modi says hosting mega events key for athletes City were able to welcome Rodri back for his first start since early October and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world's best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024. Only wasteful finishing in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday cost Pep Guardiola's men a ninth consecutive win and they were again guilty of letting their opposition off the hook before the break. After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the chances began to flow for the home side as Phil Foden fired just wide before Bernardo Silva curled just over the bar. Also Read - Here’s what Vaughan, Gillespie think about bad light ending day one play at SCG Filip Jorgensen made his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to an injury to Robert Sanchez and produced a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland's deflected effort behind. Haaland was practically wheeling away in celebration moments later when his curling shot crashed off the inside of the post. City's pressure finally told three minutes before the break when Reijnders wriggled clear inside the box before blasting a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post. Within seconds of the restart, City nearly threw all their good first half work away. An ankle injury to Gvardiol left City undermanned at the back as Chelsea broke forward and Pedro Neto spooned over the bar from point-blank range. Chelsea targeted Gvardiol's replacement Abdukodir Khusanov in their search for an equaliser and City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Liam Delap out from a narrow angle. Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the death with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine got to the rebound first to tap in. Numerous City players fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal close in on their first league title for 22 years. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second half display to close within three points of the top four.

Premier League 2025-26: Managerless Chelsea dent blow to Manchester City’s title hopes

English Premier League giants Chelsea are on the lookout for a new manager after Enzo Maresca left the club on Thursday, following just 18 months in charge. Liam Rosenior, who currently manages RC Strasbourg Alsace in French Ligue 1, is reportedly the frontrunner to take over the Stamford Bridge hot seat.


Chelsea eye Strasbourg’s Rosenior as their next manager 

It was not a Happy New Year for Chelsea fans on Thursday (Jan 1) as they parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca. The Chelsea board made the decision just 18 months after the Italian had taken over from Mauricio Pochettino as the club now searches for a replacement. Early names in contention to replace Maresca include Liam Rosenior, Xavi and other top names across Europe.<h2>Who will replace Maresca?</h2>According to reports, Chelsea are targeting Liam Rosenior, who has been appreciated by the club hierarchy. He currently serves as the manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg and which serves as a feeding club to Chelsea. A host of players from Chelsea are on loan at Strasbourg, with Rosenior doing a remarkable job at the club.&nbsp;Strasbourg sit seventh in the table with 23 points from 16 matches and have climbed the ladder in the league. Being English gives Rosenior another edge as he knows the surroundings and culture well in the Premier League.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a><h2>Other names in contention</h2>Other names that can be part of the conversation include former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who has been out of a job since May. He is appreciated by the club and speaks English as well, giving him the edge. Frank Lampard is another player who has been linked with the job, having taken charge of the side previously.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;He was the Chelsea manager from 2019 to 2021 before being sacked in favour of Thomas Tuchel. He returned to the club in 2023 when Graham Potter was sacked. Lampard’s second spell was a short term, having filled in on an interim basis. Currently, he is the manager of Coventry, who sit top of the Championship table with Premier League promotion on the cards.

Chelsea are targeting Liam Rosenior, who has been appreciated by the club hierarchy. He currently serves as the manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg and which serves as a feeding club to Chelsea.

It was not a Happy New Year for Chelsea fans on Thursday (Jan 1) as they parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca. The Chelsea board made the decision just 18 months after the Italian had taken over from Mauricio Pochettino as the club now searches for a replacement. Early names in contention to replace Maresca include Liam Rosenior, Xavi and other top names across Europe. Who will replace Maresca? According to reports, Chelsea are targeting Liam Rosenior, who has been appreciated by the club hierarchy. He currently serves as the manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg and which serves as a feeding club to Chelsea. A host of players from Chelsea are on loan at Strasbourg, with Rosenior doing a remarkable job at the club. Strasbourg sit seventh in the table with 23 points from 16 matches and have climbed the ladder in the league. Being English gives Rosenior another edge as he knows the surroundings and culture well in the Premier League. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Other names in contention Other names that can be part of the conversation include former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who has been out of a job since May. He is appreciated by the club and speaks English as well, giving him the edge. Frank Lampard is another player who has been linked with the job, having taken charge of the side previously. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes He was the Chelsea manager from 2019 to 2021 before being sacked in favour of Thomas Tuchel. He returned to the club in 2023 when Graham Potter was sacked. Lampard’s second spell was a short term, having filled in on an interim basis. Currently, he is the manager of Coventry, who sit top of the Championship table with Premier League promotion on the cards.

Chelsea are targeting Liam Rosenior, who has been appreciated by the club hierarchy. He currently serves as the manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg and which serves as a feeding club to Chelsea.

Premier League: Liam Rosenior, Xavi emerge as early options after Chelsea sack Enzo Maresca

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca's position could be in danger as the side face an uphill task to turn their fortunes around in the Premier League. Chelsea, currently fifth in the Premier League with 30 points have endured a tough run recently, winning only one of their last seven matches. The recent draw against Bournemouth has not helped the situation and the manager denied doing an interview, leading to further raised questions on his future.<h2>Maresca's future in doubt</h2>According to prominent football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Maresca’s future is under discussion at Chelsea, tense situation with doubts intensifying. Chelsea and Maresca are assessing recent results and the general situation, which comes as a huge development within the club. The West London outfit has seen points dropped at home in their two recent matches in the Premier League.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Chelsea first lost to Aston Villa at home before drawing against Bournemouth and now have the likes of Spurs and Manchester United chasing them in the race for Europe. If results don’t improve, the Italians could face a tough January where they will have to show resilience.&nbsp;Chelsea are facing Arsenal over two legs in the EFL Cup semis, while they are locked against Charlton in the FA Cup third round.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;However, the biggest concern for the Italian manager will be the Champions League, where he could be in hot water. Chelsea are 13th in the standings and need at least a win in their final two league matches to book their place at least in the Playoffs. However, if results go against them, his position could be in threat.&nbsp;Chelsea are next in action on Sunday (Jan 4) when they face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. A defeat at the hands of the eight-time Premier League champions could come as a huge setback, while they also face Fulham in a West London derby before facing Arsenal over two legs in the EFL Cup.

Chelsea first lost to Aston Villa at home before drawing against Bournemouth and now have the likes of Spurs and Manchester United chasing them in the race for Europe. 

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca's position could be in danger as the side face an uphill task to turn their fortunes around in the Premier League. Chelsea, currently fifth in the Premier League with 30 points have endured a tough run recently, winning only one of their last seven matches. The recent draw against Bournemouth has not helped the situation and the manager denied doing an interview, leading to further raised questions on his future. Maresca's future in doubt According to prominent football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Maresca’s future is under discussion at Chelsea, tense situation with doubts intensifying. Chelsea and Maresca are assessing recent results and the general situation, which comes as a huge development within the club. The West London outfit has seen points dropped at home in their two recent matches in the Premier League. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Chelsea first lost to Aston Villa at home before drawing against Bournemouth and now have the likes of Spurs and Manchester United chasing them in the race for Europe. If results don’t improve, the Italians could face a tough January where they will have to show resilience. Chelsea are facing Arsenal over two legs in the EFL Cup semis, while they are locked against Charlton in the FA Cup third round. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes However, the biggest concern for the Italian manager will be the Champions League, where he could be in hot water. Chelsea are 13th in the standings and need at least a win in their final two league matches to book their place at least in the Playoffs. However, if results go against them, his position could be in threat. Chelsea are next in action on Sunday (Jan 4) when they face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. A defeat at the hands of the eight-time Premier League champions could come as a huge setback, while they also face Fulham in a West London derby before facing Arsenal over two legs in the EFL Cup.

Chelsea first lost to Aston Villa at home before drawing against Bournemouth and now have the likes of Spurs and Manchester United chasing them in the race for Europe.&nbsp;

Premier League: Enzo Maresca's position in danger as Chelsea contemplate change after poor results

Atalanta sealed an important Champions League comeback victory, overturning Chelsea 2-1 at home on Tuesday through goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere. Joao Pedro broke the deadlock for Chelsea after 25 minutes, pouncing on a quickly taken corner that caught Atalanta sleeping.


Atalanta stun Chelsea with late comeback 2-1 win 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says second-placed Chelsea "fully deserve" to be considered Premier League title contenders as he prepares his team for Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;Arteta's men are currently six points clear of the second-placed Blues after 12 games of the season.&nbsp;They are in buoyant mood after a 4-1 win over arch-rivals Tottenham was followed by a 3-1 defeat of German giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League.&nbsp;Chelsea's tails are also up following three straight league wins and a thumping 3-0 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Despite their fine form, Enzo Maresca's youthful Chelsea side are still considered outsiders to win the Premier League title.&nbsp;But Arteta is not underestimating his opponents, who won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup last season.&nbsp;"I think we are all there and they (Chelsea) are there because they fully deserve to be," he told reporters on Friday.&nbsp;"What they have done in the last few years, I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The former Arsenal and Spain midfielder said Chelsea were one of the teams he most enjoyed watching.&nbsp;"They have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that's why they are very tough," he said.&nbsp;"Obviously it's a big game, it's a big London derby. We're going to play a really, really good opponent. They are in really good form and we know the challenge, we know the opportunity that we have as well on Sunday, so we are fully ready for it."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are currently six points clear of the second-placed Blues after 12 games of the season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says second-placed Chelsea "fully deserve" to be considered Premier League title contenders as he prepares his team for Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge. Arteta's men are currently six points clear of the second-placed Blues after 12 games of the season. They are in buoyant mood after a 4-1 win over arch-rivals Tottenham was followed by a 3-1 defeat of German giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Chelsea's tails are also up following three straight league wins and a thumping 3-0 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Despite their fine form, Enzo Maresca's youthful Chelsea side are still considered outsiders to win the Premier League title. But Arteta is not underestimating his opponents, who won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup last season. "I think we are all there and they (Chelsea) are there because they fully deserve to be," he told reporters on Friday. "What they have done in the last few years, I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there." ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes The former Arsenal and Spain midfielder said Chelsea were one of the teams he most enjoyed watching. "They have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that's why they are very tough," he said. "Obviously it's a big game, it's a big London derby. We're going to play a really, really good opponent. They are in really good form and we know the challenge, we know the opportunity that we have as well on Sunday, so we are fully ready for it." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are currently six points clear of the second-placed Blues after 12 games of the season.

Premier League: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Chelsea 'deserve' to be considered title rivals

Chelsea romped to a dominant 3-0 win at home to 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Pep Guardiola's much-changed Manchester City went down to their first defeat of the campaign against Bayer Leverkusen. In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.The visitors played just over half the encounter a player down following captain Ronald Araujo's dismissal for two bookable offences on the stroke of half-time.After stalling last time out -- Chelsea being held 2-2 by Qarabag and Barca drawing three-apiece with Club Brugge -- both sides came into the match at Stamford Bridge looking to get their campaigns back on track.Victory propelled Chelsea to fifth in the league phase standings on 10 points."It's a big win, especially because the other team was Barcelona," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said.After two Enzo Fernandez strikes were disallowed for offside, the hosts finally took the lead on 27 minutes.A short-corner routine ended with Marc Cucurella firing the ball across the box. Pedro Neto's attempted flick towards goal had the Barcelona defenders tying themselves in knots before France international Kounde inadvertently knocked it into his own net.The game took a decisive turn in the 44th minute when Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Cucurella.Much of the pre-match build-up centred on talk around the young starlets on both sides, but it was Chelsea's Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona's Spain winger Lamine Yamal.A moment of magic by the Brazilian teen put the game beyond the Spanish champions as he received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and lashing it into the roof of Joan Garcia's net five minutes before the hour."I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now," Estevao told Amazon Prime. "It really was the perfect night."Substitute Delap then put the game to bed in the 73rd minute.A second defeat has the Catalans down in 15th spot, but Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insisted he was "really positive" about their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16."We've got players coming back now and there are three games to play and nine points to win," the German said.<h2>‘Full responsibility’</h2>Guardiola surprisingly rested the majority of his stars at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma all left out of the starting line-up as Man City went down 2-0 to Leverkusen.A first loss of the campaign for Man City, coming hot on the heels of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in the Premier League, leaves the 2023 winners on 10 points."I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players but we missed something needed at the highest level," Guardiola said."I think playing every two or three days we need to make changes but seeing the result, maybe it's too much."While defeat shall likely not prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, it was a chastening 100th European match in charge of City for Guardiola.Slack defending allowed Alex Grimaldo the chance to put the away side in front in the 23rd minute, before Patrik Schick glanced in a second half-an-hour later.In the south of France, Marseille roared back from an early Ashley Barnes goal to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double.Marseille's Mason Greenwood -- who left Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, the charges for which were dropped by prosecutors in February 2023 -- was kept quiet by Newcastle in what was his first time facing English opposition since the allegations.An injury-time goal by Jonathan David snatched a 3-2 win for Italian giants Juventus in the Arctic Circle against Norway's Bodo/Glimt.Sondre Brunstad Fet's 87th-minute penalty had looked like it had secured a third draw for winless Champions League debutants Bodo until the Canadian bundled home in the 91st minute.Serhou Guirassy netted a brace as Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal, despite the Germans missing two penalties at the Westfalenstadion.Serie A champions Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at home, while Benfica won by the same scoreline at Ajax.Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium won 1-0 away to Galatasaray and Athletic Bilbao played out a goalless stalemate at Slavia Prague.

In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.

Chelsea romped to a dominant 3-0 win at home to 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Pep Guardiola's much-changed Manchester City went down to their first defeat of the campaign against Bayer Leverkusen. In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead. The visitors played just over half the encounter a player down following captain Ronald Araujo's dismissal for two bookable offences on the stroke of half-time. After stalling last time out -- Chelsea being held 2-2 by Qarabag and Barca drawing three-apiece with Club Brugge -- both sides came into the match at Stamford Bridge looking to get their campaigns back on track. Victory propelled Chelsea to fifth in the league phase standings on 10 points. "It's a big win, especially because the other team was Barcelona," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. After two Enzo Fernandez strikes were disallowed for offside, the hosts finally took the lead on 27 minutes. A short-corner routine ended with Marc Cucurella firing the ball across the box. Pedro Neto's attempted flick towards goal had the Barcelona defenders tying themselves in knots before France international Kounde inadvertently knocked it into his own net. The game took a decisive turn in the 44th minute when Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Cucurella. Much of the pre-match build-up centred on talk around the young starlets on both sides, but it was Chelsea's Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona's Spain winger Lamine Yamal. A moment of magic by the Brazilian teen put the game beyond the Spanish champions as he received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and lashing it into the roof of Joan Garcia's net five minutes before the hour. "I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now," Estevao told Amazon Prime. "It really was the perfect night." Substitute Delap then put the game to bed in the 73rd minute. A second defeat has the Catalans down in 15th spot, but Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insisted he was "really positive" about their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16. "We've got players coming back now and there are three games to play and nine points to win," the German said. ‘Full responsibility’ Guardiola surprisingly rested the majority of his stars at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma all left out of the starting line-up as Man City went down 2-0 to Leverkusen. A first loss of the campaign for Man City, coming hot on the heels of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in the Premier League, leaves the 2023 winners on 10 points. "I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players but we missed something needed at the highest level," Guardiola said. "I think playing every two or three days we need to make changes but seeing the result, maybe it's too much." While defeat shall likely not prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, it was a chastening 100th European match in charge of City for Guardiola. Slack defending allowed Alex Grimaldo the chance to put the away side in front in the 23rd minute, before Patrik Schick glanced in a second half-an-hour later. In the south of France, Marseille roared back from an early Ashley Barnes goal to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double. Marseille's Mason Greenwood -- who left Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, the charges for which were dropped by prosecutors in February 2023 -- was kept quiet by Newcastle in what was his first time facing English opposition since the allegations. An injury-time goal by Jonathan David snatched a 3-2 win for Italian giants Juventus in the Arctic Circle against Norway's Bodo/Glimt. Sondre Brunstad Fet's 87th-minute penalty had looked like it had secured a third draw for winless Champions League debutants Bodo until the Canadian bundled home in the 91st minute. Serhou Guirassy netted a brace as Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal, despite the Germans missing two penalties at the Westfalenstadion. Serie A champions Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at home, while Benfica won by the same scoreline at Ajax. Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium won 1-0 away to Galatasaray and Athletic Bilbao played out a goalless stalemate at Slavia Prague.

In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.

Champions League: Chelsea romp to win against Barcelona, Manchester City lose to Bayern Leverkusen

Chelsea and England forward Cole Palmer will miss two Premier League games and the Champions League clash with Barcelona next week after fracturing a toe, coach Enzo Maresca said on Friday.&nbsp;Maresca said that 23-year-old Palmer, who had just returned to training after two months out with a groin injury, had suffered the injury at home.&nbsp;He apparently stubbed his toe on a door at night.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Palmer will be sidelined for Saturday's trip to Burnley, the home game against Barcelona on Tuesday and next weekend's Premier League match against leaders Arsenal."He is probably not available for tomorrow for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure," said Maresca.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe but it is nothing important -- but he won't be back in the next week."&nbsp;Palmer scored twice when Chelsea won the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain in July and is expected to be an integral part of the England squad at the World Cup next year.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Enzo Maresca said that 23-year-old Palmer, who had just returned to training after two months out with a groin injury, had suffered the injury at home.

Chelsea and England forward Cole Palmer will miss two Premier League games and the Champions League clash with Barcelona next week after fracturing a toe, coach Enzo Maresca said on Friday. Maresca said that 23-year-old Palmer, who had just returned to training after two months out with a groin injury, had suffered the injury at home. He apparently stubbed his toe on a door at night. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Palmer will be sidelined for Saturday's trip to Burnley, the home game against Barcelona on Tuesday and next weekend's Premier League match against leaders Arsenal. "He is probably not available for tomorrow for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure," said Maresca. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes "Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe but it is nothing important -- but he won't be back in the next week." Palmer scored twice when Chelsea won the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain in July and is expected to be an integral part of the England squad at the World Cup next year. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Enzo Maresca said that 23-year-old Palmer, who had just returned to training after two months out with a groin injury, had suffered the injury at home.

Premier League: Cole Palmer to miss three more Chelsea games after toe break

Hugo Ekitike scored against his old club as Liverpool got back on track with a 5-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were among the night's other winners. The Anfield side came into their trip to Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats, which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League outing. They bounced back in style by coming from behind to hammer Eintracht, who suffered a second straight 5-1 defeat in Europe -- having started their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win.&nbsp;Rasmus Kristensen gave the hosts the lead, but Ekitike broke away to equalise against the team he left in July in a £79 million ($105.5m) deal. Virgil van Dijk headed the visitors in front at a corner on 39 minutes, and Ibrahima Konate made it 3-1 before the interval in almost identical fashion. Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai added further goals in the second half as Liverpool moved up to 10th in the 36-team league phase standings.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-barcelona-vs-villarreal-match-in-miami-anymore-la-liga-president-rues-missed-opportunity-1761155970516">No Barcelona vs Villarreal match in Miami anymore - La Liga president rues ‘missed opportunity’</a>&nbsp;"I don't know if it's a statement, but it is a win and something to build on," Van Dijk told broadcaster TNT Sports.<h3>Kane scores again</h3>&nbsp;Chelsea won by the same scoreline against Ajax at Stamford Bridge, in a match which featured an early red card and three first-half penalties. Kenneth Taylor was sent off for the Dutch visitors before Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo scored for the Premier League side. Wout Weghorst pulled one back from the spot for Ajax, but Enzo Fernandez and Estevao both converted penalties before half-time for Chelsea.&nbsp;Tyrique George rounded off the scoring in the second half as for the first time in Champions League history, three teenagers scored for the same team.&nbsp;"We trust a lot of young players," said Maresca after the goals for Guiu, Estevao and George. "That is the strategy of the club, but not only the ones that we buy. Also, the ones from the academy."&nbsp;Chelsea have now won their last two European outings since beginning their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Bayern.&nbsp;Ajax, meanwhile, are bottom of the standings as one of only two teams without a point after three games -- the other is Jose Mourinho's Benfica.&nbsp;Bayern are one of five teams with the maximum nine points as Harry Kane scored his 20th goal in 12 club appearances this season in a 4-0 cruise against Club Brugge at the Allianz Arena. Lennart Karl, 17, got the opener before Kane, Luis Diaz, and Nicolas Jackson also hit the target for the Bundesliga champions.&nbsp;Madrid also have nine points following a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu as England captain Kane's compatriot Jude Bellingham scored for the first time this season. The goal came just before the hour mark, with Bellingham converting the rebound after Vinicius hit the upright. Juventus have now gone seven games without a win.&nbsp;"I'm very happy with the win, it was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool arrived in Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats, which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League match.

Hugo Ekitike scored against his old club as Liverpool got back on track with a 5-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were among the night's other winners. The Anfield side came into their trip to Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats, which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League outing. They bounced back in style by coming from behind to hammer Eintracht, who suffered a second straight 5-1 defeat in Europe -- having started their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win. Rasmus Kristensen gave the hosts the lead, but Ekitike broke away to equalise against the team he left in July in a £79 million ($105.5m) deal. Virgil van Dijk headed the visitors in front at a corner on 39 minutes, and Ibrahima Konate made it 3-1 before the interval in almost identical fashion. Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai added further goals in the second half as Liverpool moved up to 10th in the 36-team league phase standings. Also read | No Barcelona vs Villarreal match in Miami anymore - La Liga president rues ‘missed opportunity’ "I don't know if it's a statement, but it is a win and something to build on," Van Dijk told broadcaster TNT Sports. Kane scores again Chelsea won by the same scoreline against Ajax at Stamford Bridge, in a match which featured an early red card and three first-half penalties. Kenneth Taylor was sent off for the Dutch visitors before Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo scored for the Premier League side. Wout Weghorst pulled one back from the spot for Ajax, but Enzo Fernandez and Estevao both converted penalties before half-time for Chelsea. Tyrique George rounded off the scoring in the second half as for the first time in Champions League history, three teenagers scored for the same team. "We trust a lot of young players," said Maresca after the goals for Guiu, Estevao and George. "That is the strategy of the club, but not only the ones that we buy. Also, the ones from the academy." Chelsea have now won their last two European outings since beginning their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Bayern. Ajax, meanwhile, are bottom of the standings as one of only two teams without a point after three games -- the other is Jose Mourinho's Benfica. Bayern are one of five teams with the maximum nine points as Harry Kane scored his 20th goal in 12 club appearances this season in a 4-0 cruise against Club Brugge at the Allianz Arena. Lennart Karl, 17, got the opener before Kane, Luis Diaz, and Nicolas Jackson also hit the target for the Bundesliga champions. Madrid also have nine points following a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu as England captain Kane's compatriot Jude Bellingham scored for the first time this season. The goal came just before the hour mark, with Bellingham converting the rebound after Vinicius hit the upright. Juventus have now gone seven games without a win. "I'm very happy with the win, it was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool arrived in Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats, which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League match.

Champions League: Liverpool return to winning ways as Chelsea, Real stand tall

Chelsea were charged by the Football Association on Thursday with 74 alleged breaches of rules related to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022. The FA said the charges primarily relate to the period between the 2010/11 and 2015/16 seasons. The Premier League club has until September 19 to respond. Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich transformed Chelsea's fortunes after buying the west London club in 2003.&nbsp;He sold the Blues in May 2022 to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.&nbsp;Chelsea issued a statement saying the club were "pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion".&nbsp;"The club's ownership group completed its purchase of the club on May 30, 2022," the statement said.&nbsp;"During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules.&nbsp;"Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA."&nbsp;Chelsea said they had "demonstrated unprecedented transparency" and would continue working with the FA.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;In July 2023, Chelsea agreed a resolution with European football's governing body to hand over 10 million euros ($11.7 million, £8.6 million) after owning up to "incomplete financial reporting" under the Abramovich regime.&nbsp;UEFA said it had been "proactively" approached with the information by Chelsea's new ownership group.&nbsp;Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;He was described by ministers as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle but has denied financial ties to the Kremlin.&nbsp;In June this year the British government threatened the former Chelsea owner with legal action over the frozen £2.5 billion generated from the sale of the club.&nbsp;Ministers want the funds to be directed towards humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, but the oligarch insists they be used for all victims of the conflict, including in Russia.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea issued a statement saying the club were "pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion".

Chelsea were charged by the Football Association on Thursday with 74 alleged breaches of rules related to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022. The FA said the charges primarily relate to the period between the 2010/11 and 2015/16 seasons. The Premier League club has until September 19 to respond. Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich transformed Chelsea's fortunes after buying the west London club in 2003. He sold the Blues in May 2022 to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital. Chelsea issued a statement saying the club were "pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion". "The club's ownership group completed its purchase of the club on May 30, 2022," the statement said. "During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. "Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA." Chelsea said they had "demonstrated unprecedented transparency" and would continue working with the FA. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details In July 2023, Chelsea agreed a resolution with European football's governing body to hand over 10 million euros ($11.7 million, £8.6 million) after owning up to "incomplete financial reporting" under the Abramovich regime. UEFA said it had been "proactively" approached with the information by Chelsea's new ownership group. Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) He was described by ministers as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle but has denied financial ties to the Kremlin. In June this year the British government threatened the former Chelsea owner with legal action over the frozen £2.5 billion generated from the sale of the club. Ministers want the funds to be directed towards humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, but the oligarch insists they be used for all victims of the conflict, including in Russia. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea issued a statement saying the club were "pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion".

Premier League: Chelsea face 74 charges over alleged breaches of agent rules

Chelsea took advantage of VAR controversy to beat Fulham 2-0 as the visitors were left to rue a series of costly decisions awarded against them at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Enzo Maresca's side were fortunate not to fall behind in the west London derby when Fulham were harshly denied a first half opener. Josh King's strike was ruled out after VAR deemed Rodrigo Muniz's accidental collision with Trevoh Chalobah was worthy of a foul. As if that wasn't infuriating enough for Fulham boss Marco Silva, Joao Pedro put Chelsea ahead beyond the scheduled eight minutes of stoppage-time at the end of the first half.&nbsp;Adding to Silva's anger, Chelsea's second goal was also VAR-influenced as Ryan Sessegnon was adjudged to have handled a cross, leading to Enzo Fernandez converting from the penalty spot.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/alexander-isak-nears-liverpool-moves-after-newcastle-sign-6-6-striker-woltemade-1756556146726">Alexander Isak nears Liverpool moves after Newcastle sign 6’6 striker Woltemade</a>&nbsp;After drawing with Crystal Palace and routing West Ham 5-1, Chelsea's third successive Premier League clash with a London rival extended their unbeaten start to three games.&nbsp;Alejandro Garnacho watched from the stands at Stamford Bridge after the Argentine winger travelled to Chelsea's training ground on Friday to finalise his move from Manchester United.&nbsp;Garnacho's impending arrival comes with Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson set for a loan switch to Bayern Munich, while Christopher Nkunku signed for AC Milan on Saturday.&nbsp;Liam Delap, leading Chelsea's overhauled attack, lasted less than 15 minutes before he was forced off after appearing to pull his hamstring while chasing a long pass.&nbsp;The striker's exit was another blow for Maresca after Blues forward Cole Palmer was sidelined by a groin injury that will keep him out of England's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.&nbsp;King thought he had broken the deadlock with his first professional goal in the 21st minute.<h3>Silva seethes</h3>&nbsp;The 18-year-old forward had accelerated away from the Chelsea defence and slotted low past Robert Sanchez in composed fashion. But, in the process of spinning away from Chalobah's tackle on the halfway line to launch the attack, Muniz made contact with the Chelsea defender's foot.&nbsp;Chalobah crumpled to the turf but play initially continued, allowing King to score. Told to consult the pitchside monitor to review the incident, referee Rob Jones disallowed the goal for a "careless challenge".&nbsp;Silva exploded at that explanation, berating the fourth official in a furious rant on the touchline.&nbsp;Teenager Tyrique George, on for the injured Delap, almost made the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time with a close-range effort that Bernd Leno saved at his near post.&nbsp;From the resulting corner, Chelsea took the lead in the ninth minute of what should have been eight minutes of stoppage-time.&nbsp;Fernandez curled the set-piece towards Pedro and the Brazilian rose unchallenged to head home from close-range for his second goal this season.&nbsp;Silva was seething again, this time over the costly additional seconds added on.&nbsp;He tried in vain to confront Jones when the half-time whistle blew as Fulham's fans chanted "1-0 to the referee".&nbsp;There was more VAR angst for Silva and Fulham in the 56th minute.&nbsp;Sessegnon's arm was away from his body when he blocked Chalobah's cross in the area.&nbsp;However, the penalty was only awarded after VAR ruled Pedro's challenge on Joachim Anderson and a potential handball by the Brazilian in the build-up were not fouls.&nbsp;Fernandez ignored the fuss to stroke home the spot-kick, leaving Silva fuming once more.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

After drawing with Crystal Palace and routing West Ham 5-1, Chelsea's third successive Premier League clash with a London rival extended their unbeaten start to three games.

Chelsea took advantage of VAR controversy to beat Fulham 2-0 as the visitors were left to rue a series of costly decisions awarded against them at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Enzo Maresca's side were fortunate not to fall behind in the west London derby when Fulham were harshly denied a first half opener. Josh King's strike was ruled out after VAR deemed Rodrigo Muniz's accidental collision with Trevoh Chalobah was worthy of a foul. As if that wasn't infuriating enough for Fulham boss Marco Silva, Joao Pedro put Chelsea ahead beyond the scheduled eight minutes of stoppage-time at the end of the first half. Adding to Silva's anger, Chelsea's second goal was also VAR-influenced as Ryan Sessegnon was adjudged to have handled a cross, leading to Enzo Fernandez converting from the penalty spot. Also read | Alexander Isak nears Liverpool moves after Newcastle sign 6’6 striker Woltemade After drawing with Crystal Palace and routing West Ham 5-1, Chelsea's third successive Premier League clash with a London rival extended their unbeaten start to three games. Alejandro Garnacho watched from the stands at Stamford Bridge after the Argentine winger travelled to Chelsea's training ground on Friday to finalise his move from Manchester United. Garnacho's impending arrival comes with Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson set for a loan switch to Bayern Munich, while Christopher Nkunku signed for AC Milan on Saturday. Liam Delap, leading Chelsea's overhauled attack, lasted less than 15 minutes before he was forced off after appearing to pull his hamstring while chasing a long pass. The striker's exit was another blow for Maresca after Blues forward Cole Palmer was sidelined by a groin injury that will keep him out of England's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. King thought he had broken the deadlock with his first professional goal in the 21st minute. Silva seethes The 18-year-old forward had accelerated away from the Chelsea defence and slotted low past Robert Sanchez in composed fashion. But, in the process of spinning away from Chalobah's tackle on the halfway line to launch the attack, Muniz made contact with the Chelsea defender's foot. Chalobah crumpled to the turf but play initially continued, allowing King to score. Told to consult the pitchside monitor to review the incident, referee Rob Jones disallowed the goal for a "careless challenge". Silva exploded at that explanation, berating the fourth official in a furious rant on the touchline. Teenager Tyrique George, on for the injured Delap, almost made the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time with a close-range effort that Bernd Leno saved at his near post. From the resulting corner, Chelsea took the lead in the ninth minute of what should have been eight minutes of stoppage-time. Fernandez curled the set-piece towards Pedro and the Brazilian rose unchallenged to head home from close-range for his second goal this season. Silva was seething again, this time over the costly additional seconds added on. He tried in vain to confront Jones when the half-time whistle blew as Fulham's fans chanted "1-0 to the referee". There was more VAR angst for Silva and Fulham in the 56th minute. Sessegnon's arm was away from his body when he blocked Chalobah's cross in the area. However, the penalty was only awarded after VAR ruled Pedro's challenge on Joachim Anderson and a potential handball by the Brazilian in the build-up were not fouls. Fernandez ignored the fuss to stroke home the spot-kick, leaving Silva fuming once more. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

After drawing with Crystal Palace and routing West Ham 5-1, Chelsea's third successive Premier League clash with a London rival extended their unbeaten start to three games.

Chelsea extends unbeaten PL run to three games with win over Fulham

Chelsea signed teenage Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a deal worth a reported £37 million ($49 million) on Sunday.&nbsp;Hato, who has been capped six times, agreed a seven-year contract with the Premier League club.&nbsp;The 19-year-old is Chelsea's eighth signing since the end of last season as boss Enzo Maresca strengths his squad to cope with the duel demands of the Premier League and Champions League this term.&nbsp;"I'm very excited, I'm so happy to be here," said Hato, who can operate in central defence or at left-back.&nbsp;"I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I'm very happy."&nbsp;Hato joined Ajax's academy from hometown club Sparta Rotterdam in 2018 and signed his first professional contract aged 16 four years later.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;He scored four goals in 111 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, with his international debut coming as a substitute against Gibraltar in 2023.&nbsp;Club World Cup champions Chelsea begin their Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace on August 17.&nbsp;The Blues had signed Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo, Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez prior to landing Hato.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jorrel Hato, who has been capped six times by the Netherlands, agreed a seven-year contract with the Premier League club.

Chelsea signed teenage Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a deal worth a reported £37 million ($49 million) on Sunday. Hato, who has been capped six times, agreed a seven-year contract with the Premier League club. The 19-year-old is Chelsea's eighth signing since the end of last season as boss Enzo Maresca strengths his squad to cope with the duel demands of the Premier League and Champions League this term. "I'm very excited, I'm so happy to be here," said Hato, who can operate in central defence or at left-back. "I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I'm very happy." Hato joined Ajax's academy from hometown club Sparta Rotterdam in 2018 and signed his first professional contract aged 16 four years later. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) He scored four goals in 111 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, with his international debut coming as a substitute against Gibraltar in 2023. Club World Cup champions Chelsea begin their Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace on August 17. The Blues had signed Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo, Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez prior to landing Hato. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jorrel Hato, who has been capped six times by the Netherlands, agreed a seven-year contract with the Premier League club.

Premier League: Chelsea sign Dutch defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax

Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 before lifting the trophy alongside US President Donald Trump. PSG were the favourites after coming to the United States fresh from winning the Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals.&nbsp;But having been three goals ahead early on in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break.&nbsp;Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes.&nbsp;A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball.&nbsp;"Being Club World Cup champion is something for us to be proud of. We are very happy, especially against a team in PSG who I consider the best in the world with one of the best managers in the world," said Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, before hailing match-winner Palmer.&nbsp;"These are the games where we expect Cole to appear because it is a big game, a big moment, and once again he showed how good he is."&nbsp;Before Chelsea got to lift the trophy, tensions spilled over at full-time with players facing off on the pitch and Paris coach Luis Enrique raising his arm to the neck of Joao Pedro."There was a lot of pushing and shoving. It was a situation that obviously should have been avoided, but my intention was clearly just to try to separate the players," said Luis Enrique.&nbsp;The scoreline was one few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season -- they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League.They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it.&nbsp;For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double.&nbsp;Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique's team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-donald-trump-was-booed-at-the-fifa-club-world-cup-final-in-new-jersey-1752456006040">Why Donald Trump was booed at the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey?</a><h2>Trump in attendance</h2>There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118.&nbsp;For the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair.&nbsp;The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea.&nbsp;The opening goal came in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner.&nbsp;Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star status by scoring again on the half-hour.Released on the right with PSG left-back Mendes out of position, Palmer advanced towards the box before stroking a low shot into the same corner.&nbsp;Joao Pedro played a part in the build-up to that goal and the Brazilian, signed during the tournament from Brighton, then got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0.&nbsp;Scorer of both goals against Fluminense in the semi-finals, he clipped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma after being supplied by Palmer.&nbsp;PSG had conceded a single goal in their previous eight matches and they never really looked like producing a comeback, even if Neves headed just wide in first-half stoppage time.&nbsp;Substitute Liam Delap almost got a fourth for Chelsea midway through the second half, before Neves was shown red to complete a bad day for PSG.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 before lifting the trophy alongside US President Donald Trump.

Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 before lifting the trophy alongside US President Donald Trump. PSG were the favourites after coming to the United States fresh from winning the Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals. But having been three goals ahead early on in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break. Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes. A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball. "Being Club World Cup champion is something for us to be proud of. We are very happy, especially against a team in PSG who I consider the best in the world with one of the best managers in the world," said Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, before hailing match-winner Palmer. "These are the games where we expect Cole to appear because it is a big game, a big moment, and once again he showed how good he is." Before Chelsea got to lift the trophy, tensions spilled over at full-time with players facing off on the pitch and Paris coach Luis Enrique raising his arm to the neck of Joao Pedro. "There was a lot of pushing and shoving. It was a situation that obviously should have been avoided, but my intention was clearly just to try to separate the players," said Luis Enrique. The scoreline was one few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season -- they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League. They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it. For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double. Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique's team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. ALSO READ | Why Donald Trump was booed at the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey? Trump in attendance There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118. For the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair. The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner. Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star status by scoring again on the half-hour. Released on the right with PSG left-back Mendes out of position, Palmer advanced towards the box before stroking a low shot into the same corner. Joao Pedro played a part in the build-up to that goal and the Brazilian, signed during the tournament from Brighton, then got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0. Scorer of both goals against Fluminense in the semi-finals, he clipped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma after being supplied by Palmer. PSG had conceded a single goal in their previous eight matches and they never really looked like producing a comeback, even if Neves headed just wide in first-half stoppage time. Substitute Liam Delap almost got a fourth for Chelsea midway through the second half, before Neves was shown red to complete a bad day for PSG. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 before lifting the trophy alongside US President Donald Trump.

Cole Palmer stars as Chelsea stun PSG to win expanded FIFA Club World Cup

New signing Joao Pedro scored twice on his first start as Chelsea eased to a 2-0 win over Fluminense on Tuesday to seal a spot in the final of the Club World Cup.&nbsp;The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the last-four clash at the MetLife Stadium and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's final.&nbsp;Signed from Brighton and Hove Albion last week for a reported £60 million ($79 million), the 23-year-old cut short a holiday and made his debut off the bench in the quarter-final win over Palmeiras.&nbsp;He was then given his first Chelsea start up front here in place of the suspended Liam Delap.&nbsp;Joao Pedro refused to celebrate after either goal against the club with whom he started his career and made 36 top-team appearances before moving to England with Watford in 2020.&nbsp;The result ends Fluminense's impressive run at the tournament after the 2023 Copa Libertadores winners held Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, beat Inter Milan in the last 16 and knocked out Manchester City's conquerors Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals.&nbsp;With their exit go the prospects of a South American winner of the first 32-team Club World Cup, with Chelsea claiming back-to-back victories against Brazilian opposition to reach the final.&nbsp;As always seemed most likely, the trophy will be claimed by one of Europe's superpowers, with the final now guaranteed to be between two of the last five winners of the UEFA Champions League.&nbsp;"It is a great achievement. It has been a fantastic season –- top four in the league, (winning) the Conference League and now in the final in this competition. We are so, so happy," Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told broadcaster DAZN."Now finally it is the last game of the season, we can say that, and hopefully we can win the tournament."&nbsp;Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi had described his team as the "ugly duckling" of the tournament due to the enormous difference between their budget and those of the other three remaining sides.&nbsp;This game ultimately proved to be a step too far for their team, captained by 40-year-old former Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva.&nbsp;"This was a wonderful Club World Cup," said Portaluppi.&nbsp;"There is no crying over spilled milk now. We wanted to get to the final for our fans but we leave with our heads held high, and go back to our reality stronger now than we were before."&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-dilip-vengsarkar-to-rahul-dravid-5-indian-batters-with-the-most-test-runs-at-lord-s-cricket-ground-sunil-gavaskar-vinoo-mankad-gundappa-viswanath-1751971407270">From Dilip Vengsarkar to Rahul Dravid, 5 Indian batters with the most Test runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground</a><h2>Caicedo back</h2>Chelsea were without the suspended Levi Colwill and Delap but Moises Caicedo returned after a ban.&nbsp;The Premier League side were simply too strong for their opponents in a game watched by 70,556 fans on a hot afternoon just outside New York City.&nbsp;They went ahead thanks to a wonderful strike by their new forward, who controlled the ball on the edge of the box after Silva had cleared a Pedro Neto cross.&nbsp;Joao Pedro took a touch and curled a shot beyond veteran goalkeeper Fabio into the far corner, before holding up his hands apologetically towards the Fluminense fans behind the goal.&nbsp;The team from Rio de Janeiro were an intermittent threat, and Hercules -- match-winner against Al-Hilal in the last eight -- almost equalised in the 25th minute.&nbsp;He played a one-two with German Cano and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but Marc Cucurella cleared off the line.&nbsp;Fluminense were then awarded a penalty 10 minutes before the interval when a set-piece delivery by Rene struck the arm of Trevoh Chalobah in the box.&nbsp;However, French referee Francois Letexier overturned the decision following a VAR check."Had we been awarded the penalty we would have scored and it would have been a different story," said Portaluppi.&nbsp;Chelsea got their second on 56 minutes, just after Fluminense had sacrificed one of their three centre-backs to send on an extra attacker.&nbsp;Enzo Fernandez released Joao Pedro on the break, and the forward produced another clinical finish in off the bar.&nbsp;There were chances for Chelsea to score further goals after that, but the new boy's double strike sufficed with the only potential black mark on the day the knock which forced Caicedo to limp off before full-time.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Joao Pedro opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the last-four clash at the MetLife Stadium and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday final.

New signing Joao Pedro scored twice on his first start as Chelsea eased to a 2-0 win over Fluminense on Tuesday to seal a spot in the final of the Club World Cup. The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the last-four clash at the MetLife Stadium and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's final. Signed from Brighton and Hove Albion last week for a reported £60 million ($79 million), the 23-year-old cut short a holiday and made his debut off the bench in the quarter-final win over Palmeiras. He was then given his first Chelsea start up front here in place of the suspended Liam Delap. Joao Pedro refused to celebrate after either goal against the club with whom he started his career and made 36 top-team appearances before moving to England with Watford in 2020. The result ends Fluminense's impressive run at the tournament after the 2023 Copa Libertadores winners held Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, beat Inter Milan in the last 16 and knocked out Manchester City's conquerors Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals. With their exit go the prospects of a South American winner of the first 32-team Club World Cup, with Chelsea claiming back-to-back victories against Brazilian opposition to reach the final. As always seemed most likely, the trophy will be claimed by one of Europe's superpowers, with the final now guaranteed to be between two of the last five winners of the UEFA Champions League. "It is a great achievement. It has been a fantastic season –- top four in the league, (winning) the Conference League and now in the final in this competition. We are so, so happy," Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told broadcaster DAZN. "Now finally it is the last game of the season, we can say that, and hopefully we can win the tournament." Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi had described his team as the "ugly duckling" of the tournament due to the enormous difference between their budget and those of the other three remaining sides. This game ultimately proved to be a step too far for their team, captained by 40-year-old former Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva. "This was a wonderful Club World Cup," said Portaluppi. "There is no crying over spilled milk now. We wanted to get to the final for our fans but we leave with our heads held high, and go back to our reality stronger now than we were before." ALSO READ | From Dilip Vengsarkar to Rahul Dravid, 5 Indian batters with the most Test runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground Caicedo back Chelsea were without the suspended Levi Colwill and Delap but Moises Caicedo returned after a ban. The Premier League side were simply too strong for their opponents in a game watched by 70,556 fans on a hot afternoon just outside New York City. They went ahead thanks to a wonderful strike by their new forward, who controlled the ball on the edge of the box after Silva had cleared a Pedro Neto cross. Joao Pedro took a touch and curled a shot beyond veteran goalkeeper Fabio into the far corner, before holding up his hands apologetically towards the Fluminense fans behind the goal. The team from Rio de Janeiro were an intermittent threat, and Hercules -- match-winner against Al-Hilal in the last eight -- almost equalised in the 25th minute. He played a one-two with German Cano and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but Marc Cucurella cleared off the line. Fluminense were then awarded a penalty 10 minutes before the interval when a set-piece delivery by Rene struck the arm of Trevoh Chalobah in the box. However, French referee Francois Letexier overturned the decision following a VAR check. "Had we been awarded the penalty we would have scored and it would have been a different story," said Portaluppi. Chelsea got their second on 56 minutes, just after Fluminense had sacrificed one of their three centre-backs to send on an extra attacker. Enzo Fernandez released Joao Pedro on the break, and the forward produced another clinical finish in off the bar. There were chances for Chelsea to score further goals after that, but the new boy's double strike sufficed with the only potential black mark on the day the knock which forced Caicedo to limp off before full-time. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Joao Pedro opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the last-four clash at the MetLife Stadium and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's final.

FIFA Club World Cup: Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into third final

Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time in a chaotic weather-disrupted last-16 clash to book their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in extra time to send Premier League side Chelsea into a quarter-final clash against Brazil's Palmeiras. Chelsea's late burst of scoring settled a game that took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay.&nbsp;Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team's victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon.&nbsp;"I think it's a joke, it's not football," Maresca said. "For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We created enough chances to win the game. Then after the break, the game changed -- for me personally, it's not football."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fascist-dictator-benito-mussolinis-grandson-back-in-rome-football-1751105966769">Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s grandson back in Rome football</a>&nbsp;Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James' opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining.&nbsp;But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted.&nbsp;It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning.&nbsp;"If you are already suspending, six, seven, eight games it probably means there is something that is not working well," Maresca said. "Because in a football game, it's not normal to suspend the game."&nbsp;When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalised Benfica grabbed an injury-time equaliser after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee.&nbsp;Benfica's Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time.&nbsp;An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni's second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory.&nbsp;But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo's low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin.&nbsp;As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced.&nbsp;Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team's victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon.

Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time in a chaotic weather-disrupted last-16 clash to book their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in extra time to send Premier League side Chelsea into a quarter-final clash against Brazil's Palmeiras. Chelsea's late burst of scoring settled a game that took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team's victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon. "I think it's a joke, it's not football," Maresca said. "For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We created enough chances to win the game. Then after the break, the game changed -- for me personally, it's not football." Also read | Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s grandson back in Rome football Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James' opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining. But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted. It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning. "If you are already suspending, six, seven, eight games it probably means there is something that is not working well," Maresca said. "Because in a football game, it's not normal to suspend the game." When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalised Benfica grabbed an injury-time equaliser after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee. Benfica's Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time. An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni's second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory. But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo's low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin. As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced. Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team's victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon.

Chelsea beat Benfica to reach Club World Cup quarters after weather chaos

Liam Delap scored his first Chelsea goal in a 3-0 win over Tunisian champions Esperance on Tuesday which took the Blues through to the last 16 of the Club World Cup. A game played in sweaty conditions at the end of a blisteringly hot day in Philadelphia never really came to life and was decided by two goals scored in first-half stoppage time by Tosin Adarabioyo and then Delap.&nbsp;Tyrique George added the third in injury time at the end of the game and the victory, achieved in front of 32,937 fans at Lincoln Financial Field, allowed Enzo Maresca's side to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Flamengo last Friday. Chelsea therefore clinched second place in Group D behind the Brazilian giants while Esperance are eliminated.&nbsp;Chelsea will now travel south to Charlotte in North Carolina to face Benfica on Saturday, with the Portuguese club having earlier beaten Bayern Munich to top Group C. That will be a first meeting of the clubs since Chelsea beat Benfica in the 2013 Europa League final, and the winner of that tie will play either Palmeiras or Botafogo of Brazil in the last eight.Chelsea only needed a draw to advance and Maresca felt comfortable enough to make eight changes to his starting line-up following the Flamengo defeat.&nbsp;Delap, Enzo Fernandez and Malo Gusto were the only players to keep their places while Josh Acheampong was among the lesser-seen faces to get a chance. The 19-year-old right-back, making his 10th start in all competitions this season, came close with a shot saved low down by Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said on 36 minutes.&nbsp;Fernandez then shot wide from the edge of the box as Chelsea controlled the first half without overly troubling the Tunisian defence until the third minute of stoppage time.That was when Fernandez floated a free-kick into the area and Adarabioyo, up from the back, scored with a header into the bottom corner. Esperance needed to win the game and their hopes were as good as over as Chelsea scored again two minutes later.&nbsp;Fernandez, formerly of Benfica, was again the provider as he fed Delap, and the new signing from Ipswich Town controlled with his back to goal, turned and slotted a low shot into the net to get off the mark in his new colours. With temperatures still hovering close to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) late into the evening, conditions remained far from easy for the two sides.&nbsp;Both teams made changes, with defender Mamadou Sarr and Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos getting their first Chelsea minutes since joining from Strasbourg. Chelsea thought they had a penalty 15 minutes from time when the referee pointed to the spot as a Santos shot brushed the hand of Yassine Meriah -- but the award was overturned following a long VAR check. A third goal did finally arrive deep in injury time at the end of the game as George, another substitute, found the net with a shot that the goalkeeper should have kept out.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Club World Cup: Chelsea east past Esperance 3-0 to progress to last 16

Liam Delap scored his first Chelsea goal in a 3-0 win over Tunisian champions Esperance on Tuesday which took the Blues through to the last 16 of the Club World Cup. A game played in sweaty conditions at the end of a blisteringly hot day in Philadelphia never really came to life and was decided by two goals scored in first-half stoppage time by Tosin Adarabioyo and then Delap. Tyrique George added the third in injury time at the end of the game and the victory, achieved in front of 32,937 fans at Lincoln Financial Field, allowed Enzo Maresca's side to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Flamengo last Friday. Chelsea therefore clinched second place in Group D behind the Brazilian giants while Esperance are eliminated. Chelsea will now travel south to Charlotte in North Carolina to face Benfica on Saturday, with the Portuguese club having earlier beaten Bayern Munich to top Group C. That will be a first meeting of the clubs since Chelsea beat Benfica in the 2013 Europa League final, and the winner of that tie will play either Palmeiras or Botafogo of Brazil in the last eight. Chelsea only needed a draw to advance and Maresca felt comfortable enough to make eight changes to his starting line-up following the Flamengo defeat. Delap, Enzo Fernandez and Malo Gusto were the only players to keep their places while Josh Acheampong was among the lesser-seen faces to get a chance. The 19-year-old right-back, making his 10th start in all competitions this season, came close with a shot saved low down by Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said on 36 minutes. Fernandez then shot wide from the edge of the box as Chelsea controlled the first half without overly troubling the Tunisian defence until the third minute of stoppage time. That was when Fernandez floated a free-kick into the area and Adarabioyo, up from the back, scored with a header into the bottom corner. Esperance needed to win the game and their hopes were as good as over as Chelsea scored again two minutes later. Fernandez, formerly of Benfica, was again the provider as he fed Delap, and the new signing from Ipswich Town controlled with his back to goal, turned and slotted a low shot into the net to get off the mark in his new colours. With temperatures still hovering close to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) late into the evening, conditions remained far from easy for the two sides. Both teams made changes, with defender Mamadou Sarr and Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos getting their first Chelsea minutes since joining from Strasbourg. Chelsea thought they had a penalty 15 minutes from time when the referee pointed to the spot as a Santos shot brushed the hand of Yassine Meriah -- but the award was overturned following a long VAR check. A third goal did finally arrive deep in injury time at the end of the game as George, another substitute, found the net with a shot that the goalkeeper should have kept out. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A game played in sweaty conditions at the end of a blisteringly hot day in Philadelphia never really came to life and was decided by two goals scored in first-half stoppage time by Tosin Adarabioyo and then Delap

The UEFA Conference League was not where Chelsea wanted to be, but their triumph in Wroclaw could prove to be a turning point for a club that had lost their trophy-winning habit.&nbsp;The Premier League team beat Real Betis 4-1 on Wednesday, recovering strongly from being outplayed in the first half by their Spanish opponents.&nbsp;Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's second-half substitutions lifted his team but an inspired Cole Palmer was the catalyst for victory, producing two pinpoint crosses for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson.&nbsp;Jadon Sancho's fine finish made it 3-1 and Moises Caicedo added a fourth in stoppage time to give Chelsea their first silverware since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired the club in May 2022 from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.&nbsp;During the past three years the owners have spent more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) on promising young talent, but until now have had little to show for it.&nbsp;Chelsea had been clear favourites to win Europe's third-tier club competition from the start, enabling Maresca to field youth and fringe players.&nbsp;They rampaged through the group phase, outclassing teams with a fraction of their resources such as Noah, Astana and Shamrock Rovers.&nbsp;Maresca spoke on the eve of the final in Poland about how he had stressed the importance of the Conference League to his players.&nbsp;&nbsp;He will not need to persuade them next season as they are back where they feel they belong, the Champions League, following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.<h2>'Winning mentality'</h2>&nbsp;Maresca, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, said he hoped winning the Conference League would be a launchpad for bigger and better.&nbsp;"Hopefully, it can be a starting point to build a winning mentality," he said. "You need to win games. You need to win competitions.&nbsp;"And for sure, the trophy we won tonight is going to make us better. But also, I'm very proud about the path or the journey we have done in the Premier League.&nbsp;&nbsp;"For me, it's the most difficult competition in the world. You have to be consistent in 38 games. And these players, they showed it."&nbsp;Maresca had a rollercoaster first season after replacing Mauricio Pochettino.&nbsp;His team were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool in mid-December before stumbling badly.&nbsp;But they found an extra gear towards the end of the campaign, negotiating a tricky run-in to finish in the Champions League spots.&nbsp;"For sure, we have improved a lot since we started," said former Leicester boss Maresca. "We also start to win games in an ugly way.&nbsp;&nbsp;"That is something with a young squad that you struggle to do that."&nbsp;&nbsp;The Italian has been keen to highlight the extreme youth of his expensively assembled squad.&nbsp;The average age of his starting side was the youngest in a single Premier League campaign.&nbsp;Under Abramovich, Chelsea became serial trophy winners, claiming five Premier League titles and winning the&nbsp;Champions League twice.&nbsp;It is too early to predict whether they will return to those heady heights but the Conference League is a start.&nbsp;Next on the agenda is a trip to the Club World Cup in the United States, for which Chelsea qualified by winning the 2021 Champions League.&nbsp;"Now we have 10 days off, 10 days where we need to recover energy, and then we're going to start the Club World Cup," said Maresca. &nbsp;"The target is to go game by game, try to go step by step, but at this moment we don't have any target for the Club World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Now the only target is to recover energy, because the season has been very long."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea aim higher after Conference League triumph over Real Betis

The UEFA Conference League was not where Chelsea wanted to be, but their triumph in Wroclaw could prove to be a turning point for a club that had lost their trophy-winning habit. The Premier League team beat Real Betis 4-1 on Wednesday, recovering strongly from being outplayed in the first half by their Spanish opponents. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's second-half substitutions lifted his team but an inspired Cole Palmer was the catalyst for victory, producing two pinpoint crosses for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson. Jadon Sancho's fine finish made it 3-1 and Moises Caicedo added a fourth in stoppage time to give Chelsea their first silverware since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired the club in May 2022 from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. During the past three years the owners have spent more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) on promising young talent, but until now have had little to show for it. Chelsea had been clear favourites to win Europe's third-tier club competition from the start, enabling Maresca to field youth and fringe players. They rampaged through the group phase, outclassing teams with a fraction of their resources such as Noah, Astana and Shamrock Rovers. Maresca spoke on the eve of the final in Poland about how he had stressed the importance of the Conference League to his players. He will not need to persuade them next season as they are back where they feel they belong, the Champions League, following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. 'Winning mentality' Maresca, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, said he hoped winning the Conference League would be a launchpad for bigger and better. "Hopefully, it can be a starting point to build a winning mentality," he said. "You need to win games. You need to win competitions. "And for sure, the trophy we won tonight is going to make us better. But also, I'm very proud about the path or the journey we have done in the Premier League. "For me, it's the most difficult competition in the world. You have to be consistent in 38 games. And these players, they showed it." Maresca had a rollercoaster first season after replacing Mauricio Pochettino. His team were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool in mid-December before stumbling badly. But they found an extra gear towards the end of the campaign, negotiating a tricky run-in to finish in the Champions League spots. "For sure, we have improved a lot since we started," said former Leicester boss Maresca. "We also start to win games in an ugly way. "That is something with a young squad that you struggle to do that." The Italian has been keen to highlight the extreme youth of his expensively assembled squad. The average age of his starting side was the youngest in a single Premier League campaign. Under Abramovich, Chelsea became serial trophy winners, claiming five Premier League titles and winning the Champions League twice. It is too early to predict whether they will return to those heady heights but the Conference League is a start. Next on the agenda is a trip to the Club World Cup in the United States, for which Chelsea qualified by winning the 2021 Champions League. "Now we have 10 days off, 10 days where we need to recover energy, and then we're going to start the Club World Cup," said Maresca. "The target is to go game by game, try to go step by step, but at this moment we don't have any target for the Club World Cup. "Now the only target is to recover energy, because the season has been very long." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Premier League team beat Real Betis 4-1 on Wednesday, recovering strongly from being outplayed in the first half by their Spanish opponents.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chelsea" rel="dofollow">Chelsea</a> ensured that qualification for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-league" rel="dofollow">Champions League</a> remains in their own hands as Marc Cucurella's winner beat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/manchester-united" rel="dofollow">Manchester United</a> 1-0 to climb to fourth in the Premier League.
United are gearing up for next week's Europa League final against Tottenham but ran the Blues close as Ruben Amorim named a stronger line-up than expected.&nbsp;However, the Red Devils ultimately slipped to an 18th league defeat of the season and remain 16th in the table.
Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Spurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mikel-arteta-ready-to-smash-arsenal-transfer-budget-to-sign-striker-9077121" rel="dofollow">Mikel Arteta ready to smash Arsenal transfer budget to sign striker</a>
City have a game in hand at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday as they face Crystal Palace in Saturday's FA Cup final.
But Chelsea will be assured of a return to Europe's top competition after a two-year absence should they beat Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season.
And they could also end the campaign with a trophy as they face Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final on May 28.
"Now only two games left to achieve something special," said Cucurella.
"Today is a moment to enjoy because we work all season for these moments so now we have ambitions to achieve these things."
United's miserable season can only be saved by victory in Bilbao in five days' time but Amorim resisted the temptation to rest his key men at Stamford Bridge.
"Today was a really good game to prepare the final," said Amorim. "Almost 10 days without playing for me would be a mistake.
"It was a good thing for them to play, to feel that they can do it. We can control the game, we can have possession, we can push the opponent.
"But in the end, in this club and any club you need to win and we are not winning."
Chelsea were without a recognised striker due to Nicolas Jackson's suspension and the continued absence due to injury of Christopher Nkunku.
Teenager Tyrique George, a natural winger, was forced to lead the line up front and the Blues' lack of a focal point saw them easily snuffed out.
United's bright start was nearly rewarded when Harry Maguire fired in Bruno Fernandes' inviting cross only for a VAR review to show the centre-back had strayed centimetres offside.
<h2><hl2>Full backs combine</hl2></h2>
Chelsea's best effort before half-time saw Reece James' long-range effort come back off the post.
United started strongly again in the second period but failed to make it count as Mason Mount fired wide on his return to Stamford Bridge, before Fernandes blasted over.
On the hour mark a VAR review came to the visitors' aid when referee Chris Kavanagh initially pointed to the penalty spot after a challenge between George and Andre Onana.
However, replays showed the goalkeeper clearly played the ball and the spot-kick was overturned.
With Chelsea's forward players lacking inspiration, the match-winning moment was created and converted by their full-backs 20 minutes from time.
James turned nearly on the edge of the box and clipped in a cross that Cucurella met perfectly to head in his seventh goal of the season.
Noni Madueke should have doubled the lead within seconds when he skewed wide after a slick pass from Cole Palmer.
That miss could have been costly had Robert Sanchez not denied Amad Diallo at his near post with United's only shot on target.
But Chelsea held their nerve to edge towards the brink of a return to the riches and glamour of the Champions League.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Tottenham Hotspurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five. Sports, Football

Chelsea ensured that qualification for the Champions League remains in their own hands as Marc Cucurella's winner beat Manchester United 1-0 to climb to fourth in the Premier League. United are gearing up for next week's Europa League final against Tottenham but ran the Blues close as Ruben Amorim named a stronger line-up than expected. However, the Red Devils ultimately slipped to an 18th league defeat of the season and remain 16th in the table. Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Spurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five. Also read | Mikel Arteta ready to smash Arsenal transfer budget to sign striker City have a game in hand at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday as they face Crystal Palace in Saturday's FA Cup final. But Chelsea will be assured of a return to Europe's top competition after a two-year absence should they beat Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season. And they could also end the campaign with a trophy as they face Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final on May 28. "Now only two games left to achieve something special," said Cucurella. "Today is a moment to enjoy because we work all season for these moments so now we have ambitions to achieve these things." United's miserable season can only be saved by victory in Bilbao in five days' time but Amorim resisted the temptation to rest his key men at Stamford Bridge. "Today was a really good game to prepare the final," said Amorim. "Almost 10 days without playing for me would be a mistake. "It was a good thing for them to play, to feel that they can do it. We can control the game, we can have possession, we can push the opponent. "But in the end, in this club and any club you need to win and we are not winning." Chelsea were without a recognised striker due to Nicolas Jackson's suspension and the continued absence due to injury of Christopher Nkunku. Teenager Tyrique George, a natural winger, was forced to lead the line up front and the Blues' lack of a focal point saw them easily snuffed out. United's bright start was nearly rewarded when Harry Maguire fired in Bruno Fernandes' inviting cross only for a VAR review to show the centre-back had strayed centimetres offside. Full backs combine Chelsea's best effort before half-time saw Reece James' long-range effort come back off the post. United started strongly again in the second period but failed to make it count as Mason Mount fired wide on his return to Stamford Bridge, before Fernandes blasted over. On the hour mark a VAR review came to the visitors' aid when referee Chris Kavanagh initially pointed to the penalty spot after a challenge between George and Andre Onana. However, replays showed the goalkeeper clearly played the ball and the spot-kick was overturned. With Chelsea's forward players lacking inspiration, the match-winning moment was created and converted by their full-backs 20 minutes from time. James turned nearly on the edge of the box and clipped in a cross that Cucurella met perfectly to head in his seventh goal of the season. Noni Madueke should have doubled the lead within seconds when he skewed wide after a slick pass from Cole Palmer. That miss could have been costly had Robert Sanchez not denied Amad Diallo at his near post with United's only shot on target. But Chelsea held their nerve to edge towards the brink of a return to the riches and glamour of the Champions League. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cucurella steers Chelsea towards the Champions League in Man Utd win

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chelsea" rel="dofollow">Chelsea</a> strolled to a comfortable 4-1 win at Djurgarden in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final on Thursday to all but book their spot in the final. In the other semi-final, Spain's Real Betis take a 2-1 lead into the return fixture against two-time runners-up Fiorentina.<o:p></o:p>
First-half goals from Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke put Chelsea in control in Sweden, before Nicolas Jackson grabbed a brace midway through the second period.<o:p></o:p>
"It was (a perfect night), an important semi-final," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told TNT Sports. "It's a good result, but we have the experience from the Legia Warsaw game, where we won 3-0 there and we struggled a little bit (Chelsea's only loss in the tournament came at home in the return fixture), so we need to be focused on the second leg."<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-inch-closer-to-europa-league-final-after-athletic-bilbao-bashing-9024239" rel="dofollow">Manchester United inch closer to Europa League final after Bilbao bashing</a> 
Maresca's side has one foot in the final of the Conference League in their debut campaign in the third-tier European competition.<o:p></o:p>
Lifting the trophy in the Polish city of Wroclaw on May 28 would add another continental title to the London club's haul of two Champions Leagues, a pair of Europa Leagues and two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups.<o:p></o:p>
Their opponents, on the other hand, don't quite boast the same European pedigree, and in making the last four became the first Swedish side to play a semi-final in Europe since 1986/87.<o:p></o:p>
To further add to Djurgarden's underdog status, coach Jani Honkavaara only had 14 senior players fit to call upon for the visit of the Premier League giants.<o:p></o:p>
Chelsea took the lead via Sancho on 12 minutes as the winger collected a lofted pass in the box and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper before the retreating Marcus Danielson sliced his attempted clearance against his own arm and into the goal.<o:p></o:p>
The goal settled Chelsea, who slowly got more accustomed to the artificial surface in Stockholm and began to dominate Djurgarden.<o:p></o:p>
Madueke made that dominance pay two minutes prior to half-time when he opened up his body to feint a cross-goal shot with his left foot, before sweeping a first-time finish inside the near post.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

First-half goals from Sancho and Noni Madueke put Chelsea in control in Sweden, before Nicolas Jackson grabbed a brace midway through the second period. Sports, Football

Chelsea strolled to a comfortable 4-1 win at Djurgarden in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final on Thursday to all but book their spot in the final. In the other semi-final, Spain's Real Betis take a 2-1 lead into the return fixture against two-time runners-up Fiorentina. First-half goals from Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke put Chelsea in control in Sweden, before Nicolas Jackson grabbed a brace midway through the second period. "It was (a perfect night), an important semi-final," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told TNT Sports. "It's a good result, but we have the experience from the Legia Warsaw game, where we won 3-0 there and we struggled a little bit (Chelsea's only loss in the tournament came at home in the return fixture), so we need to be focused on the second leg." Also read | Manchester United inch closer to Europa League final after Bilbao bashing Maresca's side has one foot in the final of the Conference League in their debut campaign in the third-tier European competition. Lifting the trophy in the Polish city of Wroclaw on May 28 would add another continental title to the London club's haul of two Champions Leagues, a pair of Europa Leagues and two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups. Their opponents, on the other hand, don't quite boast the same European pedigree, and in making the last four became the first Swedish side to play a semi-final in Europe since 1986/87. To further add to Djurgarden's underdog status, coach Jani Honkavaara only had 14 senior players fit to call upon for the visit of the Premier League giants. Chelsea took the lead via Sancho on 12 minutes as the winger collected a lofted pass in the box and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper before the retreating Marcus Danielson sliced his attempted clearance against his own arm and into the goal. The goal settled Chelsea, who slowly got more accustomed to the artificial surface in Stockholm and began to dominate Djurgarden. Madueke made that dominance pay two minutes prior to half-time when he opened up his body to feint a cross-goal shot with his left foot, before sweeping a first-time finish inside the near post. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Chelsea squash Djurgarden to book berth in UEFA Conference League final

Barcelona stormed into the women's Champions League final for the sixth time as their 4-1 win at Chelsea in the semi-final second leg sealed an 8-2 aggregate triumph on Sunday. The Spanish are chasing a third successive Champions League crown, and they brushed aside Chelsea with ease at Stamford Bridge to set up a final showdown with Arsenal or Lyon.<o:p></o:p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9zwjysm-p9ycquty-slz5b1pj">
TORNEM A LA FINAL DE LA CHAMPIONS ⭐ <a href="https://t.co/QO4isBUnCz">pic.twitter.com/QO4isBUnCz</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona Femen&iacute; (@FCBfemeni) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBfemeni/status/1916506232338239985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
Lyon, who beat Barcelona in the 2022 final, hold a 2-1 lead ahead of their second leg later on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-defender-antonio-rudiger-issues-public-apology-for-throwing-object-at-copa-final-referee-9007801" rel="dofollow">Real Madrid defender Rudiger issues public apology for throwing object at Copa final referee</a> 
Trailing 4-1 from last Sunday's meeting at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, Chelsea were blown away by Barcelona in the first half.<o:p></o:p>
Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati got the first goal with a driving run through a non-existent Chelsea defence that culminated in a bullet finish into the roof of the net.<o:p></o:p>
Ewa Pajor tapped in their second four minutes before half-time to effectively finish the tie as a contest.<o:p></o:p>
Claudia Pina curled in the third shortly afterwards as what remained of Chelsea's resistance crumbled.<o:p></o:p>
A mix-up between Niamh Charles and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in the 90th minute let in Salma Paralluelo to rubber-stamp the capitulation.<o:p></o:p>
Wieke Kaptein's reply in the final seconds was no consolation for outclassed Chelsea, whose wait for a first Champions League crown goes on.<o:p></o:p>
Chelsea will now focus on winning a sixth consecutive Women's Super League title and first under boss Sonia Bompastor. <o:p></o:p>
That can be achieved with a victory against Manchester United on Wednesday if other results go their way.<o:p></o:p>
"When you want to play against the best team in Europe, you have to be in all aspects of the performance. All of these aspects we were not at our best for different reasons," Bompastor said. "Barcelona are a really good team, but the difference between the teams is not that much. One team has been clinical in both games, but my team weren't."<o:p></o:p>
Bonmati was well inside her own half when she took possession in the build-up to the opening goal in the 25th minute.<o:p></o:p>
Chelsea's Millie Bright slid in but failed to take the ball, leaving Bonmati a clear run through for a drilled finish from an acute angle.<o:p></o:p>
The visitors struck again after 41 minutes when Charles was left isolated on the right against Caroline Graham, who ran around her with ease, pulling the ball back across goal for Pajor to tap in.<o:p></o:p>
Pina extinguished Chelsea's comeback hopes in the 43rd minute to make it three goals in 18 minutes. <o:p></o:p>
The forward was given room on the edge of the area to stop, take a touch and size up a curling effort that pinged in via the inside of Hampton's post.<o:p></o:p>
Paralluelo took advantage of Charles' hesitance to slot home the fourth goal in the 90th minute, and Kaptein's finish offered little solace for Chelsea.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona is chasing a third successive Champions League crown; they beat Chelsea with ease at Stamford Bridge to set up a showdown with Arsenal or Lyon. Sports, Football

Barcelona stormed into the women's Champions League final for the sixth time as their 4-1 win at Chelsea in the semi-final second leg sealed an 8-2 aggregate triumph on Sunday. The Spanish are chasing a third successive Champions League crown, and they brushed aside Chelsea with ease at Stamford Bridge to set up a final showdown with Arsenal or Lyon. TORNEM A LA FINAL DE LA CHAMPIONS ⭐ pic.twitter.com/QO4isBUnCz — FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) April 27, 2025 Lyon, who beat Barcelona in the 2022 final, hold a 2-1 lead ahead of their second leg later on Sunday. Also read | Real Madrid defender Rudiger issues public apology for throwing object at Copa final referee Trailing 4-1 from last Sunday's meeting at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, Chelsea were blown away by Barcelona in the first half. Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati got the first goal with a driving run through a non-existent Chelsea defence that culminated in a bullet finish into the roof of the net. Ewa Pajor tapped in their second four minutes before half-time to effectively finish the tie as a contest. Claudia Pina curled in the third shortly afterwards as what remained of Chelsea's resistance crumbled. A mix-up between Niamh Charles and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in the 90th minute let in Salma Paralluelo to rubber-stamp the capitulation. Wieke Kaptein's reply in the final seconds was no consolation for outclassed Chelsea, whose wait for a first Champions League crown goes on. Chelsea will now focus on winning a sixth consecutive Women's Super League title and first under boss Sonia Bompastor. That can be achieved with a victory against Manchester United on Wednesday if other results go their way. "When you want to play against the best team in Europe, you have to be in all aspects of the performance. All of these aspects we were not at our best for different reasons," Bompastor said. "Barcelona are a really good team, but the difference between the teams is not that much. One team has been clinical in both games, but my team weren't." Bonmati was well inside her own half when she took possession in the build-up to the opening goal in the 25th minute. Chelsea's Millie Bright slid in but failed to take the ball, leaving Bonmati a clear run through for a drilled finish from an acute angle. The visitors struck again after 41 minutes when Charles was left isolated on the right against Caroline Graham, who ran around her with ease, pulling the ball back across goal for Pajor to tap in. Pina extinguished Chelsea's comeback hopes in the 43rd minute to make it three goals in 18 minutes. The forward was given room on the edge of the area to stop, take a touch and size up a curling effort that pinged in via the inside of Hampton's post. Paralluelo took advantage of Charles' hesitance to slot home the fourth goal in the 90th minute, and Kaptein's finish offered little solace for Chelsea. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona thrash Chelsea on aggregate to reach sixth Women’s Champions League final

Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept alive their hopes of a top-five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>
Emblematic of the self-inflicted wounds that hampered Ipswich this season, Kieran McKenna's side had Ben Johnson sent off in the 37th minute for two bookings in quick succession at St James' Park.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/celtic-win-fourth-successive-scottish-premiership-title-after-5-0-demolition-of-dundee-united-9005606" rel="dofollow">Celtic win fourth successive Scottish Premiership title after 5-0 demolition of Dundee United</a> 
Newcastle's Alexander Isak converted a penalty after Jacob Murphy was fouled by Julio Enciso in first-half stoppage time.<o:p></o:p>
Dan Burn's 56th-minute header doubled Newcastle's lead, and William Osula's 80th-minute goal left Ipswich with no chance of beating the drop.<o:p></o:p>
Third-bottom Ipswich are 15 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight for 22 years will end with an immediate return to the Championship.<o:p></o:p>
Out of their depth among the Premier League elite, Ipswich have won just four of their 34 league games.<o:p></o:p>
Their relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester, who were both already condemned to the drop, means all three promoted sides will be back in the second tier next season.<o:p></o:p>
Ipswich's fairytale rise to the Premier League had captured the hearts of football romantics after their successive promotions from League One and the Championship.<o:p></o:p>
McKenna, 38, had earned plaudits for Ipswich's attacking style during their surge up the divisions after his appointment in 2021.<o:p></o:p>
But the former Manchester United assistant coach was unable to preserve Ipswich's top-flight status.<o:p></o:p>
Newcastle climb to third place as the League Cup winners eye Champions League qualification.<o:p></o:p>
Enzo Maresca saluted Chelsea's "nasty" performance after a gritty success that kept them in the hunt for a Champions League berth.<o:p></o:p>
Nicolas Jackson struck for the first time since December to seal a vital victory at Stamford Bridge.<o:p></o:p>
The Senegal striker's first-half blast from 20 yards moved Chelsea into fifth place with four games left.<o:p></o:p>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ipswich are 15 points behind West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight will end with an immediate return to the Championship. Sports, Football

Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept alive their hopes of a top-five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday. Emblematic of the self-inflicted wounds that hampered Ipswich this season, Kieran McKenna's side had Ben Johnson sent off in the 37th minute for two bookings in quick succession at St James' Park. Also read | Celtic win fourth successive Scottish Premiership title after 5-0 demolition of Dundee United Newcastle's Alexander Isak converted a penalty after Jacob Murphy was fouled by Julio Enciso in first-half stoppage time. Dan Burn's 56th-minute header doubled Newcastle's lead, and William Osula's 80th-minute goal left Ipswich with no chance of beating the drop. Third-bottom Ipswich are 15 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight for 22 years will end with an immediate return to the Championship. Out of their depth among the Premier League elite, Ipswich have won just four of their 34 league games. Their relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester, who were both already condemned to the drop, means all three promoted sides will be back in the second tier next season. Ipswich's fairytale rise to the Premier League had captured the hearts of football romantics after their successive promotions from League One and the Championship. McKenna, 38, had earned plaudits for Ipswich's attacking style during their surge up the divisions after his appointment in 2021. But the former Manchester United assistant coach was unable to preserve Ipswich's top-flight status. Newcastle climb to third place as the League Cup winners eye Champions League qualification. Enzo Maresca saluted Chelsea's "nasty" performance after a gritty success that kept them in the hunt for a Champions League berth. Nicolas Jackson struck for the first time since December to seal a vital victory at Stamford Bridge. The Senegal striker's first-half blast from 20 yards moved Chelsea into fifth place with four games left. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ipswich relegated after one season in Premier League, Chelsea keep top-five hope alive with Everton win

Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four with a 4-0 demolition of hapless Southampton, but Aston Villa's hopes of Champions League football next season diminished after a 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.
After a run of three consecutive defeats, Chelsea badly needed a response against bottom-of-the-table Saints, who are set for an immediate return to the Championship.
The Blues duly delivered with three first-half goals through Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Levi Colwill for just a third league win 11 games.
Before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, a small band of Chelsea fans gathered to protest against the club's owners over the club's form and discontent over ticket prices.
Once the action got underway, it was a much-needed comfortable evening for Enzo Maresca's men which the Italian will hope can restore confidence among his squad.
Nkunku took his tally for the season to 14 but only three of those have come in the Premier League as he has often had to play reserve to the injured Nicolas Jackson.
The Frenchman stooped to head in a corner at the back post before teeing up Neto to blast home a second.
Colwill headed in Neto's free-kick to make the points safe before the break.
Marc Cucurella rounded off the scoring with a calm finish from teenager Tyrique George's cross.
"We needed that, the fans needed that and the club needed that so we are happy," said Maresca.
&ldquo;The priority is to bring this club to where this club should be - the Champions League. It will be like this until the end of the season - we will be up and down and we need to be ready.&rdquo;
Victory takes Chelsea two points above Manchester City into fourth.
Thanks to English clubs' strong performance in European competition this season, a top-five finish is likely to be enough for a place in next season's Champions League.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-over-100-pakistani-policemen-dismissed-for-refusing-duty-8756871" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy 2025: Over 100 Pakistani policemen dismissed for refusing duty</a>
<h2>Eagles soaring</h2>
Villa had rejuvenated their hopes of a second consecutive season in Europe's elite competition after beating Chelsea on Saturday.
But Unai Emery's men have won just one of their last seven league games after a capitulation at Selhurst Park.
"After today, with a loss, it is difficult to try to explain everything," said Emery.
"We have to move on and be motivated in the competitions - FA Cup and Champions League and get the balance in the Premier League."
Ismaila Sarr's first-half opener was cancelled out early in the second period by Morgan Rogers.
Jean-Philippe Mateta quickly restored Palace's advantage before Sarr and Eddie Nketiah maintained the Eagles fine form.
Oliver Glasner's side have won seven of their last nine games to rise to 12th, just six points behind Villa in 10th.
Brighton won the battle of the south coast clubs with ambitions of European football next season, over Bournemouth 2-1.
Joao Pedro won and converted a penalty on 12 minutes to give the Seagulls the lead.
A wonder strike from Justin Kluivert levelled for the Cherries, but Danny Welbeck's winner moved the sides level on points.
Bournemouth sit seventh on goal difference with Brighton in eighth, but now just one point behind fifth-placed City.
Wolves missed the chance to pull further clear of the relegation zone after a 2-1 home defeat to Fulham.
A fast start to both halves saw the visitors take the points as Ryan Sessegnon struck inside the first minute and Rodrigo Muniz got the winner two minutes into the second period.
Wolves remain five points above the bottom three.
League leaders Liverpool can take another step towards just their second title in 35 years when they host Newcastle on Wednesday.
Second faces third as Arsenal visit Nottingham Forest, while Tottenham host City.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: After a run of three consecutive defeats, Chelsea badly needed a response against the Saints, who are set for an immediate return to the Championship.

Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four with a 4-0 demolition of hapless Southampton, but Aston Villa's hopes of Champions League football next season diminished after a 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace. After a run of three consecutive defeats, Chelsea badly needed a response against bottom-of-the-table Saints, who are set for an immediate return to the Championship. The Blues duly delivered with three first-half goals through Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Levi Colwill for just a third league win 11 games. Before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, a small band of Chelsea fans gathered to protest against the club's owners over the club's form and discontent over ticket prices. Once the action got underway, it was a much-needed comfortable evening for Enzo Maresca's men which the Italian will hope can restore confidence among his squad. Nkunku took his tally for the season to 14 but only three of those have come in the Premier League as he has often had to play reserve to the injured Nicolas Jackson. The Frenchman stooped to head in a corner at the back post before teeing up Neto to blast home a second. Colwill headed in Neto's free-kick to make the points safe before the break. Marc Cucurella rounded off the scoring with a calm finish from teenager Tyrique George's cross. "We needed that, the fans needed that and the club needed that so we are happy," said Maresca. “The priority is to bring this club to where this club should be - the Champions League. It will be like this until the end of the season - we will be up and down and we need to be ready.” Victory takes Chelsea two points above Manchester City into fourth. Thanks to English clubs' strong performance in European competition this season, a top-five finish is likely to be enough for a place in next season's Champions League. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Over 100 Pakistani policemen dismissed for refusing duty Eagles soaring Villa had rejuvenated their hopes of a second consecutive season in Europe's elite competition after beating Chelsea on Saturday. But Unai Emery's men have won just one of their last seven league games after a capitulation at Selhurst Park. "After today, with a loss, it is difficult to try to explain everything," said Emery. "We have to move on and be motivated in the competitions - FA Cup and Champions League and get the balance in the Premier League." Ismaila Sarr's first-half opener was cancelled out early in the second period by Morgan Rogers. Jean-Philippe Mateta quickly restored Palace's advantage before Sarr and Eddie Nketiah maintained the Eagles fine form. Oliver Glasner's side have won seven of their last nine games to rise to 12th, just six points behind Villa in 10th. Brighton won the battle of the south coast clubs with ambitions of European football next season, over Bournemouth 2-1. Joao Pedro won and converted a penalty on 12 minutes to give the Seagulls the lead. A wonder strike from Justin Kluivert levelled for the Cherries, but Danny Welbeck's winner moved the sides level on points. Bournemouth sit seventh on goal difference with Brighton in eighth, but now just one point behind fifth-placed City. Wolves missed the chance to pull further clear of the relegation zone after a 2-1 home defeat to Fulham. A fast start to both halves saw the visitors take the points as Ryan Sessegnon struck inside the first minute and Rodrigo Muniz got the winner two minutes into the second period. Wolves remain five points above the bottom three. League leaders Liverpool can take another step towards just their second title in 35 years when they host Newcastle on Wednesday. Second faces third as Arsenal visit Nottingham Forest, while Tottenham host City. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Enzo Maresca's Chelsea thrash Southampton, Aston Villa beaten by Palace

chelsea

Chelsea, News on Chelsea, stories on Chelsea, articles on Chelsea, Chelsea stories at Wion, Chelsea news, Chelsea latest news

chelsea

Champions League | Defending champions PSG's road to final

Premier League: Man City hammer Chelsea to gain title race momentum

Former Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Oscar announces retirement

UCL | WATCH - Chelsea's Pedro Neto shoves ball boy in humiliating loss vs PSG

Champions League: Man City-Real Madrid to square off in R16, PSG face Chelsea

Premier League: Benjamin Sesko rescues Man Utd with 96th-minute equaliser