Carlo Ancelotti has vowed to fulfil Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich s desire for Champions League success after the Italian was appointed as Blues manager on Monday.
Less than 24 hours after stepping down as AC Milan coach, Ancelotti signed a three-year contract with the Premier League club, worth an estimated 6.5 million pounds a year (7.4 million euros).
The Italian, who succeeds Guus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge, was targeted by Chelsea owner Abramovich because of his impressive track record in Europe s elite club competition.
Ancelotti led Milan to Champions League victory in 2003 against Juventus and 2007 against Liverpool, as well as reaching the 2005 final, where his team were beaten by Liverpool.
As if that wasn t enough to get Abramovich s attentio…
Spain are favorites to win this month s Confederations Cup in South Africa, according to bookmakers. The European champions are closely followed by Italy.
The Spanish, who currently appear to be in great shape, make their first appearance at the Confederations Cup and if it was up to bookmakers, Vicente del Bosque s men should take home the trophy.
In theory, the group stage should not be a big problem, as Spain play their first two games against the two least preferred teams for the final victory, New Zealand and Iraq. By the time Spain face hosts South Africa in the last group game, a spot in the semi finals may already be secured.
Bookmakers also feel that Brazil are most likely to face Spain in the final, with defeat as result.
The Seleçao do …
Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 12 points after a 3-2 win in Saturday s Old Firm derby to all but end Rangers title hopes.
A gripping game at Celtic Park saw the hosts pour more cold water on their rivals diminishing title chances, as Michael Beale s side failed to cut the gap.
Kyogo Furuhashi gave Celtic the lead in the 26th minute, before a sumptuous James Tavernier free-kick pulled Rangers level just before the break.
Another for Kyogo restored the hosts lead before Jota extended it, though Celtic were made to sweat after Tavernier headed in another with just over 10 minutes remaining, his 100th Rangers goal.
Glasgow Derby victory at Paradise!!! | |
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC)
Kyogo had…
Chelsea have completed the signing of defender Wesley Fofana from Leicester City for a fee in the region of £75million.
The France Under-21 international has put pen to paper on a massive seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
Fofana becomes the latest in a series of recruits for Thomas Tuchel during a busy transfer window, with Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella already key men.
The new centre-back had been training with Leicester s under-23 squad after making his intentions of joining Chelsea clear as Brendan Rodgers said he was not in the right frame of mind to play in a 2-1 Premier League defeat away to the London club on Saturday.
Leicester reportedly rejected three bids from Chelsea for Fofana, but the Blues finally got thei…
Manchester City s Sergio Aguero dismissed the possibility of playing alongside Lionel Messi, insisting he will remain at the Premier League champions while the Barcelona superstar will stay at the LaLiga holders.
Argentina international Aguero – preparing for next month s World Cup in Russia – claimed his third Premier League title as record-breaking City romped to English glory, but the 29-year-old forward continues to be linked with a move away.
City manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly fielded questions over Aguero s future this season and former club Atletico Madrid have emerged as a possible destination amid Barcelona s pursuit of Antoine Griezmann.
But asked about the possibility of playing club football alongside 30-year-old Argentina team-mate and fiv…
Juventus stayed on course for a record-extending 15th Coppa Italia title with a thumping 6-1 win against Serie A strugglers Salernitana in Turin.
The Allianz Stadium fell into stunned silence in the opening minute when Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi gave the visitors a shock lead.
But Juve hit back through Fabio Miretti and Andrea Cambiaso before the break and ran riot in the second half.
FT | | Into the quarter-finals!
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
Daniele Rugani, Dylan Bronn’s own goal, Kenan Yildiz and Timothy Weah all added to the scoring and Massimiliano Allegri’s side will now face Frosinone in the quarter-finals.
Salernitana head coach and former Juve striker Filippo Inzaghi’s side made a dream start against his former club as Ik…
Pedro Porro’s 25-yard special helped Tottenham stumble into the FA Cup fourth round with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Burnley.
Spurs were far from vintage and a replay at Turf Moor appeared on the cards until Ange Postecoglou watched full-back Porro make the breakthrough with a superb strike in the 78th minute.
It earned Tottenham a deserved fourth win from five matches, but Clarets boss Vincent Kompany could take positives after a solid display and they will now concentrate fully on staying in the Premier League.
Spurs had already beaten Burnley 5-2 this season, but they were missing their hat-trick hero from that sunny September day with Son Heung-min away for the Asian Cup and the visitors started brightly in north London.
Fully COYS.
—…
Napoli attacker Michu has undergone surgery on a recurring ankle injury, the club has announced.
The Spaniard has struggled to find his form since joining the Serie A outfit on a season-long loan from Swansea City and is yet to score in three league outings for Rafael Benitez s men.
A stellar first season in south Wales saw Michu hailed as one of the bargains of the transfer window following his £2million signing from Rayo Vallecano in 2012, but ankle problems blighted his progress last term.
After netting two goals in 17 Premier League games, Michu was shipped out to Napoli on a temporary deal with a view to a permanent switch.
However, the former Celta Vigo man s ankle issues have returned and Napoli announced the forward had undergone a keyhole proc…
Mikel San Jose is certain that Athletic Bilbao will prove they are better than BATE and secure third spot in UEFA Champions League Group H.
Athletic can claim a place in the Europa League knockout phase with a draw at home to BATE on Wednesday, but they have struggled in Europe s elite competition this term, winning just one of their five matches since overcoming Napoli in qualifying.
The Spanish side s early-season domestic form also appeared to be affected, with Ernesto Valverde s men emerging victorious only once in their first eight Liga contests, leaving them 18th in early October.
They have since improved and currently sit ninth in the Spanish top flight, though a 1-0 home defeat to Cordoba on Saturday the Andalusian club s first La Liga win in 42 years �…
Keylor Navas claimed the support of the Real Madrid supporters as he stated his intention to end his career at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Costa Rica international goalkeeper has been Madrid s first choice in the last three seasons, helping Zinedine Zidane s side to three Champions League trophies as well as the LaLiga title in 2016-17.
Zidane s departure at the end of the 2017-18 season cast Navas future into doubt but he told Marca that the club s supporters are backing him to stay.
The kindness that the fans show me all the time is incredible and I am very grateful to all of them, said the 31-year-old. Whatever the sporting situation, they are always behind me. In the stadium I always hear the shouts of support that motivate me and when I walk through Madrid …