European Super Football

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...

There was big news from Stamford Bridge on May 21st It was announced that Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has parted ways with the club by mutual agreement after just one season at Stamford Bridge. Picture from  Football Pictures | Flickr The 52-year-old Argentine, who took over on 1 July, had signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional 12 months. Despite a challenging first half of the season, Pochettino managed to turn things around with five consecutive wins to close the season, securing a sixth-place finish in the Premier League. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Under his leadership, Chelsea were also runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. The club is now on the lookout for a new manager, with recent interest shown in Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, Sporting’s Ruben Amorim, and Burnley’s Vincent Kompany. Chelsea is aiming for a younger head coach and has ruled out the possibilit...

 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 Chelse...

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 ...

Gianfranco Zola is another football icon that a wonderful career He is an Italian football manager and former footballer who played predominantly as a forward. He was most recently the assistant manager of Chelsea. Quick summary of his career He spent the first decade of his playing career playing in Italy, most notably with Napoli, alongside Diego Maradona and Careca, where he was able to win the Serie A title, and at Parma, where he won the Italian Super Cup and the UEFA Cup.  He later moved to Chelsea, where he was voted the Football Writers' Player of the Year in the 1996–97 season. During his time at the club, he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, two FA Cups, the League Cup, and the Community Shield.  Who remembers this wonderful goal against Manchester United? In 2003, he was voted Chelsea's greatest player ever. You could even argue that he played a crucial part of Chelsea's rise to become a force across England and then the continent. With...

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Chelsea Real Madrid comfortably beat Chelsea in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu in a match whose final scoreline could have easily been more emphatic. Chelsea didn't take advantage of a strong start. They started well under new caretaker manager Frank Lampard, with Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling going close early, only to be thwarted by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois playing against his former club. <This is the place to go for all Chelsea news and stories> Karim Benzema's tap-in gave Real boss Carlo Ancelotti a fantastic start against his former club. The holders then struggled to add to their lead before Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card in the 59th minute for fouling Rodrygo as the Brazil forward threatened to go clean through on goal. Some positives to take for Chelsea. The Blues carried more of an attacking threat after the tepid performance against Wolves in Frank Lampard's first game back a...

Chelsea Women 3 - 0 Celtic Women Chelsea secured their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals with two games to spare after a commanding 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.  Goals from Lucy Bronze, Wieke Kaptein, and Ève Périsset sealed the win for last season’s semi-finalists, marking their 11th consecutive win. Author - Lauren W Chelsea have enjoyed a dream start to the campaign, boasting a flawless record across all competitions. They currently sit top of both the WSL and Champions League Group B. After the match, manager Sonia Bompastor expressed her delight at the team’s early qualification, which alleviates some of the pressure ahead of the winter break. Chelsea overcame an early scare in their 2-1 win at Celtic Park last week, but they ensured there were no repeats this time. From the outset, the WSL champions showed they had learned their lesson, starting with a bang at Stamford Bridge. Just 65 seconds in, Lucy Bronze unleashed an instinctive volley...

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...

Liverpool 2 - 1 Chelsea Arne Slot's outstanding start as Liverpool manager continued as his side saw off a clearly improved Chelsea at Anfield. Author - Katrine Jonnson  Chelsea are now winless in their last ten matches against Liverpool, including losses in the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup final in 2022, both decided by penalties, along with a defeat at Wembley in extra time last season. Slot is the first Liverpool boss to win 10 of his first 11 games, with this latest victory putting them a point clear of  Manchester City after their dramatic stoppage-time win at Wolves. A closer look at what happened Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool the lead after 29 minutes, converting a penalty following Levi Colwill’s foul on Curtis Jones.  Just before half-time, Liverpool were awarded a second penalty when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez brought down Jones, but after initially being given by referee John Brooks, the decision was overturned by VAR. #LIVCHE – 45+2’ VAR OVERTURN ...

 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 v Barrow: Live social media posts and reaction from Stamford Bridge Barrow, who are joint top of League Two, started the night 64 places behind Chelsea in the football pyramid. Click here for more EFL Cup news and stories Live text commentary - How did the match unfold Full-time announcement Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a convincing win over League Two Barrow at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were too strong for the Bluebirds, despite manager Enzo Maresca making 11 changes to the team that defeated West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday. Chelsea 5 - 0 Barrow Nkunku completes his hat-trick . He tackled keeper Farman and passed the ball into an empty net. To be fair, after being 3-0 down, Barrow fans probably thought it should have been 7 or 8-0.  Chelsea 4 - 0 Barrow Two minutes after the restart, Pedro Neto scored his first Chelsea goal by tapping in after Mykhailo Mudryk's pass . Barrow fans are fearing a thrashing. Chelsea 3 - 0 Barrow T...

 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 ...

Astana 1 - 3 Chelsea Former Barcelona player Marc Guiu made a big impression as Chelsea secured their spot in the UEFA Conference League knockout stage with a victory over Astana in freezing Kazakhstan. Author - Lauren W The Blues embarked on the 3,600-mile journey to Almaty, where they faced challenging conditions, including biting temperatures of -11°C. However, a heavily rotated Chelsea side showed their mettle, wrapping up the win with three first-half goals. Eighteen-year-old Spanish youth international Guiu was among several young players given an opportunity to shine, and he seized it. In the 14th minute, he opened the scoring with an impressive solo run, calmly finishing to put Chelsea ahead. Just four minutes later, Guiu's effort from Pedro Neto's cross was deflected in by Aleksandr Marochkin, doubling the lead and putting Chelsea firmly in control. Renato Veiga added a third just before half-time with a well-taken header – his second goal of the season. Spurs 3 - ...

Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 4 Chelsea Cole Palmer’s cool-headed 'Panenka' penalty capped off a stunning Chelsea comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to secure victory against Tottenham. Author - Lauren W Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez both found the net, while Palmer added two expertly taken penalties to sink Spurs, who had started brightly but crumbled under pressure. The result heaps further misery on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who is facing increasing scrutiny. Tottenham surged ahead early, with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski scoring within the first 11 minutes. However, despite Son Heung-min adding a late third in stoppage time, Spurs let the game slip from their grasp. Chelsea's triumph moves them within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who saw their game against Everton postponed due to Storm Darragh. Premier League: 2024/2025 season Click here to find more Chelsea news and stories A closer look at what happened Spurs dominated the openi...

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Chelsea New signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford combined twice as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea, grabbing three valuable points in their push for European qualification. Author - Lauren W Stadium - Villa Park An excellent piece of play out wide from Pedro Neto fashioned a ninth-minute opener for Chelsea, with the winger skipping past Ian Maatsen before drilling a low delivery across the face of the goal which only required a slight prod from Enzo Fernandez to turn it past Emiliano Martinez. Although Chelsea appeared to have the upper hand, they failed to maintain control of the match. The introduction of Rashford at halftime proved crucial; he was initially ruled offside, but the video assistant referee overturned that decision. Rashford then assisted Asensio by tapping a Matty Cash cross across the six-yard box, allowing Asensio to score for Aston Villa and level the game. After again being fed by fellow mid-season recruit Rashford, Asensio ...

Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Chelsea Crystal Palace snatched a late point with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, extending the Blues’ winless run into 2025. Author - Lauren W Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the 82nd minute to cancel out Cole Palmer’s early opener, just as Chelsea seemed on course for a much-needed victory. The result deepened Chelsea’s festive woes, stretching their winless streak to four games and further derailing their fading title ambitions. A closer look at what happemed Palmer’s goal, slotted past Dean Henderson in the 14th minute, was a moment of class. The finish was clinical, but it was Jadon Sancho’s assist that truly stole the spotlight. Sancho skilfully outmanoeuvred Chris Richards before delivering a precise cross into the box for Palmer to convert. Chelsea dominated the early stages, with their wingers enjoying plenty of joy against Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Muñoz. The visitors almost struck within three minutes when Pedro Neto’s inviting cross fou...

 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...

Everton 0 - 0 Chelsea The blue side of Merseyside did the red side of Merseyside a huge favour by holding Chelsea to a draw at Goodison Park Author - Sarah W  Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca dismissed talk earlier in the week about his team being Premier League title contenders – and based on this result, he may have been right. While the Italian may have privately harboured different thoughts, Chelsea’s eight-match winning streak across all competitions came to an end, delivering a blow to their hopes of reclaiming the league trophy for Stamford Bridge. Star performer Cole Palmer, who stole the show with four goals – including a stunning first-half hat-trick – in a 6-0 demolition of Everton back in April, struggled to make an impact this time. He dragged an early shot wide and set up Jackson for a glaring miss. Premier League: Latest news from the 2024/2025 season Click here to find more Chelsea match reports news Jackson, who should have done better with a free header that struc...

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 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 ...