European Super Football

 Chelsea 1 - 0 Fulham Chelsea secured a narrow victory over West London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, with Cole Palmer's first-half penalty proving to be vital. The win was Chelsea's third consecutive victory, moving them to eighth in the table. Palmer's penalty, following a foul on Raheem Sterling by Issa Diop, marked his ninth goal since joining Chelsea in August. Conor Gallagher came close to adding a late second for Chelsea, hitting the far post with a well-struck effort. Despite Chelsea's wastefulness in front of goal earlier in the week, they did enough to secure the three points.  Chelsea won their fourth consecutive home league match for the first time since July 2020. The victory marked a positive start to Chelsea's 2024 league campaign after a challenging 2023, where they won only 12 of their 43 league games.  They are set to face Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on 23 January. Another W at the Bridge. 🏡 #

 Chelsea 6 - 1 Middlesborough (Chelsea won 6-2 on aggregate) Chelsea secured their spot in the Carabao Cup final with a 6-2 aggregate victory over Middlesbrough.  After a 1-0 defeat from the first leg, Chelsea turned the tide in this match with four first-half goals . The scoring spree included an own goal from Jonny Howson, along with goals from Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi, and Cole Palmer. Palmer netted his second.  Noni Madueke added another in the 81st minute, delighting the Chelsea supporters. The Wembley songs started and many of their fans will now be excited about a February afternoon in North London.  Morgan Rogers managed a consolation goal for Middlesbrough but Chelsea's victory was already well secured.  Watch first leg highlights Watch second leg highlights How did everything happen? Mauricio Pochettino's team equalised the aggregate score in just 15 minutes, with Ben Chilwell's precise through ball setting up Raheem Sterling, whose pass was inadvertently tur

 Chelsea officially have a new manager.  They have confirmed that Mauricio Pochettino will become their head coach from the beginning of the 2023/24 season.  The Argentinian will begin his new role on 1 July 2023 on a two-year contract, with the option of an additional year. Their recent Interim boss Frank Lampard took Chelsea to 12th in the Premier League - their lowest finish since the 1995/1996 season. The blues finished the Premier League   with a 1-1 draw against 4th placed Newcastle United .  In a statement on the Chelsea website, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, said: "Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward. " You can read more from the Chelsea website here:  Mauricio Pochettino to become Chelsea head coach | News | Official Site | Chelsea Football Club (chelseafc.com) Let's explore what some Chelsea fans are saying Frank i

 Chelsea 4 - 2 Leicester City Chelsea narrowly avoided a major upset against Leicester City to secure their place in the FA Cup semi-finals, thanks to two stoppage-time goals.  The Foxes were trailing 2-0 until an own goal by Axel Disasi from 35 yards out brought them back into the game. Stephy Mavididi then scored a fantastic equaliser for the visitors, which led to a tense atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, with the home fans voicing their displeasure with manager Mauricio Pochettino.  However, late goals from substitutes Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke secured the win for Chelsea in a dramatic second half. A red card with 17 minutes to go for Leicester defender Callum Doyle proved crucial. He fouled Nicolas Jackson and, having been initially been shown a yellow card and a penalty given, the video assistant referee ruled the foul was outside of the box but upgraded his yellow to red. Chelsea maintained constant pressure throughout the remainder of the game. In the end, Chukwueme

As the 22/23 season slowly concludes, we are delighted to launch our new series of articles. The Big Questions will explore some of the issues in the minds of fans as we approach what could prove to be a vital summer for many clubs.  This is the first article. Can Chelsea find a solution that gets the best out of their players? It's hard to believe they were seen by some as an outside bet for a title push at the start of the campaign. Since then, they have sacked two managers and had to reappoint Frank Lampard as Interim Manager until the end of the season. Let's explore what Chelsea fans are saying and how they believe they can improve next season. Frank Lampard told the Chelsea social media accounts: "It's important we understand the pride that's at stake when you play for Chelsea." 'It's important we understand the pride that's at stake when you play for Chelsea.' 💙 Frank looks ahead to #CheBre . 👊 pic.twitter.com/8XsnycogKl — Chelse

Chelsea 1 - 1  Crystal Palace Eberechi Eze scored a brilliant equaliser as Crystal Palace held Chelsea to a draw at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea, who hammered Wolves 6-2 last week , dominated the first half. Cole Palmer came close with a shot that went just wide, and Dean Henderson made a superb save to deny Noni Madueke, before Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring. Jackson finished off a swift Chelsea counter-attack by tapping in Palmer's cross at the near post. Palace were lucky not to be down to 10 men when Will Hughes, already on a yellow card, avoided further punishment for a foul on Palmer. Shortly after, the Eagles fans were celebrating as Eze curled a lovely shot past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Sanchez then made a fantastic save to deny Daichi Kamada's powerful effort and prevent Palace from taking the lead. In stoppage time, Jackson had a chance to win it for Chelsea, but Henderson saved his effort after he went through on goal. The draw marks Crystal Palace'

Manchester City 1 - 1 Chelsea Rodri rescued a for Manchester City to deny Chelsea victory and maintain his side's long unbeaten home record. Despite Liverpool and Arsenal securing convincing wins earlier in the day, City fell behind in the title race. Nevertheless, salvaging a draw against Chelsea must be seen as a positive outcome, considering the imminent threat of defeat. Raheem Sterling, facing his former club, put Chelsea ahead just before half-time with a superbly executed goal, capitalising on a swift counter-attack created by Nicolas Jackson. Throughout the game, Chelsea remained dangerous on the break, with Jackson missing a golden opportunity. Click here for the latest City news and stories Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 Despite City creating numerous chances, they struggled to convert them or seriously trouble Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, despite mounting pressure in the second half. Erling Haaland was particularly guilty of squandering chances,

 Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea Fourteen shots and six attempts on target. No goals though. This was another disappointing afternoon for Chelsea.  You'd have to argue that Pochettino needs to solve some of their problems quickly because this is a brand-new team, but everyone knows how quickly the club hires and fires managers. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The away side has now only scored five goals in the Premier League so far this season. Their fewest amount of goals after five games of a top-flight campaign since 1995-96 (5), when they finished 11th. Should they finish in that position again, you can't imagine the Chelsea owners will be very happy.  During this match, Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling both struck the woodwork. The Bournemouth keeper could not be beaten.  Late on, new signing Cole Palmer had a chance to win the game, but he shot straight at Neto. Dominic Solanke headed wide and forced a Robert Sanchez save for B

Manchester City 4 - 2 Chelsea Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to lead Manchester City to a 4-2 pre-season victory over Chelsea in Columbus. Haaland, 24, scored two quick goals in the first five minutes, taking advantage of two mistakes by Chelsea.  The first goal came from a loose pass by Tosin Adarabioyo, with Levi Colwill fouling Haaland for a penalty, which the Norwegian scored after a re-take. Haaland then doubled City's lead, intercepting a misplaced pass and scoring.  Pre Season: Celtic thrash Chelsea (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Click here for more Manchester City news and stories In the second half, City added two more goals, with Raheem Sterling's mistake allowing Oscar Bobb to score, followed by Haaland's hat-trick goal after another error from Malo Gusto. Despite Chelsea scoring twice, City secured the win.  Both managers blamed the "dry" pitch for the errors. City will now face Manchester United in the Community Shield, while Chelsea will pla

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new head coach The Italian takes over from Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual agreement on 21 May after just one season at Stamford Bridge. Maresca, 44, assumed control of the Foxes in June 2023 and guided them to the Championship title last season. Maresca celebrates his former club's Championship title win. Picture from  fuji.tim | Flickr Starting his new role on 1 July, Maresca becomes Chelsea's  sixth managerial appointment in five years and the fourth since May 2022. Chelsea had a mixed 2023-24 season but finished strongly, winning their last five matches to secure sixth place and qualify for the Europa Conference League. The Blues also finished as runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Following Pochettino's departure, several candidates were considered, including former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, and Brentford's Thomas

 Chelsea 2 - 1 Crystal Palace Noni Madueke secured a crucial victory for Chelsea with an 89th-minute penalty against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. The home team took the lead in the 13th minute after Malo Gusto's impressive play led to Mykhailo Mudryk slotting the ball home from close range. However, Palace equalized just before half-time when Michael Olise converted Jordan Ayew's cross into a bottom corner screamer. Despite numerous chances, Chelsea struggled to convert, raising concerns that their profligate finishing might haunt them for the second consecutive match under manager Mauricio Pochettino. In the 77th minute, Nicolas Jackson thought he had scored, only for VAR to rule him offside after poking in Thiago Silva's deep cross. In a tense finale, Chelsea finally got the breakthrough when VAR spotted a foul by Eberechi Eze on substitute Madueke inside the box. Madueke expertly converted the penalty, sending Palace keeper Dean Henderson

Chelsea 2 - 2 Wrexham Christopher Nkunku's first-half strike had given Chelsea the lead at Levi's Stadium before goals from Luke Bolton and Jack Marriott in the second period put Wrexham in front. Lesley Ugochukwu equalised in the final ten minutes to ensure Chelsea's first game of their USA tour ended in a 2-2 draw. A closer look at what happened The match didn't begin in friendly fashion. Levi Colwill and James McClean narrowly avoided red cards following a clash just three minutes in. In the second half, Chelsea's Ugochukwu lost possession and then failed to close down a cross from Sebastian Revan, allowing Luke Bolton to score the equaliser. Chelsea youngster Josh Acheampong was caught out of position as Marriott exploited the space behind him, netting a well-struck second goal past Lucas Bergstrom. Chelsea's equaliser came from a slick move involving substitutes Angelo Gabriel, Armando Broja, and Ugochukwu. The latter made amends for his earlier mista

Another day, another Chelsea transfer story Chelsea have secured the signing of Portuguese forward João Félix from Atlético Madrid for an estimated £45 million, with England midfielder Conor Gallagher heading in the opposite direction for around £33 million. Félix, 24, has committed to a seven-year contract, marking his return to Stamford Bridge after a loan spell in 2023 where he netted four goals in 20 appearances for the West London club. Meanwhile, Gallagher has penned a five-year deal with the Spanish top-flight side. The 24-year-old joined Chelsea as a youngster, making 90 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals. With just one year left on his contract, Chelsea were keen to sell Gallagher this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year. Gallagher's transfer to Spain was delayed due to the collapse of Chelsea’s negotiations to sign Atlético striker Samu Omorodion. However, Félix’s move has now provided Atlético with the funds needed to finalise the

Manchester United 0 - 6 Chelsea Chelsea clinched their sensational fifth consecutive Women's Super League title in style, with a resounding victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in Emma Hayes' final match as manager. The Blues, who started the level on points with Manchester City but ahead on goal difference, knew they might need a substantial win to secure the title on the final day. With so much at stake, Chelsea's players rose to the occasion, displaying a ruthless efficiency that United couldn't match. British record signing Mayra Ramirez delivered an outstanding performance, scoring twice and setting up the other two goals, as Hayes' team went into half-time with a 4-0 lead. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Sjoeke Nusken, Melanie Leupolz, and Fran Kirby each added a goal to Ramirez's brilliant brace, sealing a commanding victory for Chelsea. It was the perfect send-off for Hayes , who was visibly emotional on this remarkable afternoon in Manchester, m

Chelsea 2 -  0 Lille Chelsea took control of their Champions League tie against Lille with a straightforward victory at Stamford Bridge. Kai Havertz headed in Hakim Ziyech's corner after eight minutes and Christian Pulisic was the beneficiary of a superb run and pass from N'Golo Kante in the 63rd minute as the Blues secured a crucial advantage. Havertz was the main attacking threat for Chelsea - and the German almost scored twice before his early strike. Advantage Chelsea! 😁 #CheLil pic.twitter.com/x5qkkecw0Z — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 22, 2022 The only negatives on a good night for Chelsea and manager Thomas Tuchel were injuries to Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic ahead of Sunday's League Cup final against Liverpool. Chelsea had few worries against a spirited Lille side. Their composed and professional performance summed up by the quality shown by veteran defender Thiago Silva and outstanding midfield man Kante. --- Watch the highlights in the video. Footage courtes

Chelsea 0 - 2 Barcelona Barcelona won 2-1 on aggregate  Chelsea's hopes of making it to the Women's Champions League final in manager Emma Hayes' final season at the club were crushed with a defeat by Barcelona at a sold-out Stamford Bridge.  Despite leading 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea was unable to hold onto their advantage as holders Barca turned the tide in their favour. Referee Iuliana Demetrescu made two crucial decisions that went against the Blues.  Firstly, she issued a second booking to Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan within four minutes, leaving the hosts with only 10 players on the field just before the hour mark.  A history of women's football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Secondly, she awarded a penalty to Barcelona for a contentious foul on Aitana Bonmati, which Fridolina Rolfo converted. Bonmati had earlier cancelled out Chelsea's aggregate lead with a deflected strike off Buchanan, and her dramatic fall in the box under conta

Chelsea 0 - 1 Aston Villa Chelsea's rough start to the Premier League season continued as Aston Villa heaped more misery on them with a victory at Stamford Bridge. In a tight game, Ollie Watkins managed to score a decisive goal from an extremely challenging angle, slipping the ball between the legs of Chelsea's goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez. This came after Malo Gusto received a red card for a dangerous tackle, leaving Chelsea with only 10 players on the field. The Villa was boss was delighted with the win and performance to go with it. Footage from  Aston Villa Football Club - YouTube Mauricio Pochettino's team had several opportunities to score before Gusto's dismissal, but as has been the story for much of their season, they couldn't convert any of them into goals. Despite notable efforts from Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling, who were thwarted by excellent saves from Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, and a missed chance from Enzo Fernandez. On th

Real Madrid 2 - 1 Chelsea First-half goals from Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz secured a win for Madrid despite Noni Madueke’s header, exposing Chelsea’s defensive frailties once again. Chelsea have conceded 12 goals across five pre-season games in America, having gone 4-0 down in two of those matches and managing to win just one. Ceballos capitalised on a deflected Lucas Vazquez shot to score in the 19th minute. Eight minutes later, Diaz rounded the new goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen to score from a tight angle past the Dane, who was making his first start at the Bank of America Stadium. Chelsea pulled one back in the 39th minute as Madueke headed in Enzo Fernandez’s cross at the far post. Maresca made no substitutions at half-time, but his slightly adjusted team appeared more solid, playing out a dull goalless second half. The best chance of the half was a missed one-on-one opportunity for Christopher Nkunku. Carlo Ancelotti's side were still without many of their star players, b

 Chelsea have appointed former manager Frank Lampard as caretaker boss until the end of the season. The 44-year-old, who is also Chelsea's record goalscorer, was previously dismissed as head coach at Stamford Bridge following 18 months in the job.  He then took charge at Everton but was sacked in January after less than a year in the role. He did however keep the Toffees in the Premier League.  Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali told the club website: "We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge. Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club. As we continue our exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season. We want to give ourselves every chance of success and Frank has all of the characteristics and qualities we need to drive us to the finish line. "We have an important game against Wolves on Saturday and then we will tur

Chelsea 2 - 0 Servette  Christopher Nkunku’s penalty helped Enzo Maresca claim his first win as Chelsea manager, with the Blues securing a two-goal lead against Servette in the first leg of their Conference League play-off. A significantly rotated Chelsea side had been struggling to break down their Swiss opponents until Nkunku was brought down by goalkeeper Jeremy Frick early in the second half. The French forward, one of only two players to retain their place from the team that started the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City   calmly converted the penalty, marking the first goal of the Maresca era. Nkunku, a former Paris St-Germain player, celebrated in his signature style by inflating a blue balloon in front of the ecstatic Chelsea supporters. Chelsea nearly extended their lead shortly afterwards when Frick hesitated with the ball, allowing 18-year-old Marc Guiu to pounce. The Spanish youth international seemed poised to score, but he lost his composure, and Frick managed to recover a