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      Laura Woods sends Chelsea Twitter into meltdown as Arsenal fan reveals her Antonio Conte replacement at Tottenham

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      ARSENAL fan and talkSPORT host Laura Woods sent Chelsea Twitter into meltdown after revealing her ideal Antonio Conte replacement at Tottenham.Conte’s deal at Spurs expires in the summer and there is uncertainty over the Italian’s long-term future in North London.
      Laura Woods has rattled Chelsea fans by claiming Spurs should hire sacked Blues boss Thomas Tuchel to replace Antonio ConteCredit: The Sun
      Antonio Conte (right) is in the final year of his Spurs contract while Tuchel (left) is availableCredit: Rex
      Spurs are deep in a top-four battle and are trailing in their Champions League round of 16 tie with AC Milan.
      Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is still widely loved among Spurs fans, has been linked with a return.
      However, another top drawer manager available is Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked by Chelsea earlier this season and replaced with Graham Potter.
      And talkSPORT host Woods, an Arsenal fan, says Tuchel would be a “great fit” at Tottenham, which got under the skin of Blues fans.
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      Woods said on talkSPORT: “I just don’t know whether it’s ever good to go back.
      “Of course we can look at the ones where they did go back and it did go well – Mourinho going back to Chelsea and that sort of stuff – but I don’t know with Mauricio Pochettino whether it would be the best move for him.
      “I actually think Thomas Tuchel would be a great shout. Managers who come back into the league and who have something to prove.
      “Seriously, though, I just think with Thomas Tuchel, in the small space of time that he came into Chelsea and arranged that team – they’d already got top four from Frank Lampard so they had a lot of young talent, he made a few changes and won the Champions League.
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      “I don’t know, I just think that kind of personality that he has, to go into a team like Spurs, who just look like they are devoid of enjoyment at the moment and lacking something.
      “Go get the best out of Son, go and put a rocket up them. I honestly think that would be a great fit.
      “I could be wrong, but I love Thomas Tuchel, I think he’s amazing.”

      One far from pleased Blues fan responded, saying: “Tuchel will never ever join a club without ambition. Know this and know peace.”
      Another tweeted: “If Conte and Mourinho didn’t win anything with Spurs – just know Spurs can’t be helped!” More

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      Chelsea fans love ‘future manager’ Thiago Silva’s X-rated outburst after Jude Bellingham’s horror lunge on Reece James

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      CHELSEA fans have hailed Thiago Silva as a future manager after the defender went on a reported passionate X-rated outburst following a horror challenge from Jude Bellingham on Reece James.Graham Potter’s men booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 2-0 second leg win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

      Reece James was on the receiving end of a horror challenge by Jude BellinghamCredit: AFP
      Thiago Silva went on a reported X-rated rant, fearing for James’ well-beingCredit: Twitter
      Goals by Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz helped the Blues bounce back from the 1-0 first leg away defeat.
      But with the game on a knife edge heading towards full-time, Dortmund started to pile the pressure on Chelsea.
      Thankfully for Potter and Co, Chelsea’s defence stood tall and batted away Dortmund’s attacking onslaught.
      But in one moment of the game, it looked like despite the win, Chelsea could also be losing a key player.
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      James, who has struggled with injuries this season, was on the receiving end of a horror challenge by England team-mate Bellingham, 19.
      The midfielder was booked for his troubles and Chelsea and their fans were glad to see the right-back get back to his feet.
      However, defender Silva, 38, was left seething in the stands.
      The iconic Brazilian defender was watching the game from the stands alongside his wife as he was forced to miss the game through injury.
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      Fans on social media, as well as the Metro, claim Silva went on a passionate X-rated rant following the challenge.
      The Metro report Silva said: “Son of a *****, not my full-back for the love of god! Red card!”
      One fan said on Twitter: “Even he knew we can’t live without him [James].”
      Another tweeted: “This was exactly my reaction, I thought we lost him.”
      A third added: “Captain, leader, legend.”
      Despite his age, Silva continues to be a key member of Chelsea’s team.
      Silva helped Chelsea win the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
      He also has two FA Cup runner-up medals and one in the Carabao Cup. More

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      ‘I don’t give a s***’ – Ex-Liverpool star blames ref for Dortmund’s Chelsea loss as he slams ‘arrogant, afraid’ official

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      BORUSSIA DORTMUND midfielder Emre Can labelled referee Danny Makkelie “arrogant” and “afraid” following their 2-1 aggregate defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League.The Bundesliga giants took a 1-0 lead into the second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.
      Emre Can was incensed by referee Danny MakkelieCredit: Getty
      Makkelie ordered the penalty to be retaken before Kai Havertz dispatched the winnerCredit: Reuters
      But goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz handed Graham Potter’s men a place in the quarter-finals.
      The crucial moment came shortly after the break when Ben Chilwell’s cross struck the arm of Marius Wolf.
      After going over to the monitor, Makkelie awarded the spot kick.
      But that was just the beginning of the drama.
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      Havertz stepped up and struck the post as Chelsea rued squandering a gilt-edged chance.
      But just seconds later they were given the opportunity all over again.
      That’s because the VAR spotted that Salih Ozcan, who cleared the ball away after it came back off the post, had encroached before the penalty was taken.
      Havertz took responsibility once more, going the same way to convert at the second time of asking.
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      And the scoreline stayed that way until full-time as Dortmund were left raging at the officials.
      Ex-Liverpool man Can was then interviewed after the final whistle and did not hold back in his assessment of Makkelie’s performance.
      He said: “The referee. It was his fault today. How can you give the second penalty in the situation? How does it work? That simply does not work! 
      “I don’t give a s*** who walked in there before. He was arrogant the whole game – that’s where it starts. We lost here undeservedly because of the referee.”
      Sensationally, Can then went on to speculate whether Makkelie was fearful of the Chelsea supporters.
      He added: “We play here at Stamford Bridge. Maybe he’s afraid of the fans, I don’t know.
      “But then UEFA should send another referee.”
      Chelsea’s win ended Dortmund’s 10-game winning streak since the World Cup.
      But Edin Terzic’s side are still in with a good chance of winning the Bundesliga title as they sit level on points with table toppers Bayern Munich.
      And the Dortmund boss will have to quickly overcome the frustration of their European exit.
      Like Can, Terzic could not hide his disappointment at the referee after the defeat to Chelsea.
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      He said: “If a decision [the penalty] takes five or six minutes to make you know it’s not been an easy call.
      “I’m the manager, I’m responsible for performances. But not for the performance of the referee.” More

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      Enzo Fernandez gives his Chelsea shirt to young fan after tiny pitch invader ran up to him in tears after Dortmund win

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      ENZO FERNANDEZ gave his Chelsea shirt to a young fan who ran up to him in floods of tears after the Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.Chelsea turned around a one-goal deficit in the second leg to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
      A young fan ran on the pitch and hugged Enzo FernandezCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      The World Cup-winning Argentine handed his shirt to the teary fanCredit: Getty
      Fernandez hugged the child before departing the pitchCredit: Getty
      Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz got the goals to send Chelsea through to the next round and ease pressure on under-fire boss Graham Potter.
      World Cup winner Fernandez played a starring role at Stamford Bridge, and a full-time he was greeted by a young fan who ran onto the pitch to meet him.
      Fernandez handed the teary fan his match worn shirt and gave him a hug.
      The midfielder said: “It touched my heart when the boy ran out to come and see me.
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      “He came and asked for my shirt. It was such a special moment because he wanted to see me and he gave me a quick hug.
      “It made me feel even more connected with the fans.
      “I love getting to know the fans and the trust that they have in me is incredible. I feel at home.”
      One fan said on Twitter: “Not a Chelsea fan but I absolutely love this.
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      “Players have the chance to leave a huge positive impression on the young generation. Long may it continue.”
      Another said: “This is why Argentina are the deserved World Cup Champions.”
      A third tweeted: “Best thing I have seen today.”
      Chelsea need to desperately turn their domestic season around with Potter’s men sat tenth in the Premier League.
      They’re 11 points off the fourth and final Champions League spot.
      Up next for the Blues is an away day at Leicester. More

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      Five reasons Chelsea beat Dortmund and one cause for concern after dramatic comeback win in Champions League

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      CHELSEA pulled off their best win of the Graham Potter reign with their 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.After going 1-0 in the first leg in Germany, Potter’s men needed something special to get into the Champions League quarter-finals.
      Chelsea won a close game with Dortmund
      Chelsea stuck with a 3-4-3 formation
      And they delivered on a memorable night at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz to see them into the last eight.
      We have picked out FIVE reasons why they won… and one potential problem in the next round.
      1. Havertz comes good
      Havertz played with intelligence and skill as the front man, holding up the ball despite the German side’s physical approach.
      Kai Havertz was the focal point of Chelsea’s attacks

      2. Cucurella delivers
      Marc Cucurella has been a huge disappointment since his £65million move from Brighton but came good when it mattered.
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      He produced his best game in a blue shirt playing at left centre back and was made Man of the Match.
      Cucurella’s Man of the Match performance
      Cucurella was a key player as Chelsea made it through to the last eight
      3. Midfield dominance
      The pairing of Enzo Fernandez and Matteo Kovacic in the centre of midfield were defensive stalwarts.
      For most of the game they managed to severely limit Dortmund’s attacking power, especially England World Cup star Jude Bellingham.
      Ferrnandez played deep to snuff out Bellingham
      Kovacic was a key player against Dortmund

      4. Chilwell on top
      Dortmund couldn’t cope with Ben Chilwell from Chelsea’s left wing-back position.
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      The England star should probably have scored in the first half, and combined seamlessly with Cucurella.
      Chilwell was a constant threat down Chelsea’s left
      5. Kepa keeps them in the game
      Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made three important saves to keep Chelsea alive.
      And he didn’t mess around on the ball, hitting it long to the forwards more often than he passed it around at the back.
      Kepa opted for the long ball
      And one concern…
      Raheem Sterling scored the all-important first goal but overall had a poor game, especially in the first half.
      Sterling was not on the ball enough against Dortmund
      He was offside multiple times and was not on the ball enough in deeper positions to have any impact.
      And he failed to link well with right wing back Reece James.
      Something for Potter to work on in training this week. More

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      Joe Cole spots Kai Havertz get involved in ‘little melee’ with two Chelsea team-mates just before retaken penalty

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      JOE COLE praised Kai Havertz’s mentality after he scored the winning goal to send Chelsea through against Borussia Dortmund.The Blues overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg to progress to the quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate, with Raheem Sterling also getting on the scoresheet.
      Joe Cole praised Kai Havertz after he scored a winning penalty at the second time of askingCredit: Rex
      But the tie hung in the balance mid-way through the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty.
      Cole noticed Sterling and Reece James both put themselves in contention to take the spot-kick before Havertz grabbed the ball.
      The German missed initially but the referee ordered a re-take after spotting encroachment into the box, and Havertz made no mistake second time round.
      That impressed Cole who praised the forward on BT Sport after the match.
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      The pundit said: “He has got a great habit Kai, in big moments, we’ve seen him score the winning goal in the Champions League.
      “We watched, we had a great view from the studio and there was a little melee about who was going to take it.
      “I think Raheem was there, Reece [James] was there and he [Havertz] grabbed it with real meaning and I thought ‘yeah, he’s going to put this away but to do the exact same technique was fantastic.”
      Havertz had the confidence to place his penalty in the same corner but manager Graham Potter did not share his belief.
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      The Chelsea boss could not watch and instead looked down at the ground as the 23-year-old stepped up.
      He told BT Sport: “After the first one I thought I’ll sit down now and listen to the crowd and thankfully the noise was there.
      “I didn’t know a massive amount, I knew they had encroached and my assistant is better with the rules than me.
      “It was him or Reece, sometimes you have to let the lads on the pitch sort it, we’ve got confidence in Kai.
      “I was delighted when I heard the roar, even though I wasn’t watching. I’m in awe of anyone who can take penalties, it wasn’t for me.” More

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      Chelsea fans ‘fully trust the process now’ as Boehly spotted hugging Graham Potter while holding BEER after Dortmund win

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      IT took some convincing, but Graham Potter appears to finally be winning the Chelsea faithful around. After a dreadful run of results which threatened to see the club’s season capitulate, Potter has reverted to a back three and scored back-to-back wins.
      Todd Boehly and Graham Potter in Chelsea trainingCredit: Getty
      Boehly embraced Potter in a hug after Chelsea’s winCredit: Paramount
      Boehly was spotted with a beer in his hand as wellCredit: Paramount
      This included last night’s victory over Borussia Dortmund, which saw Chelsea into the Champions League quarter-finals.
      The win clearly delighted Blues owner Todd Boehly too.
      The American, pictured with a beer in hand, was seen waiting in the tunnel for Potter after the game.
      And as the former Brighton boss came down the tunnel Boehly hugged Potter – no doubt partly a release of built-up stress from previous months.
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      Fans were in a similarly jubilant mood, taking to Twitter to back the under-fire boss.
      One user said: “I fully trust the process now.”
      A second admitted: “I’m very cautiously f***ing excited 🔥🔥🔥🔥🧢🧢.”
      While a third added: “My Owner and Manager.”
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      The match saw Raheem Sterling and a controversial re-taken Kai Havertz penalty guide Chelsea into the next round.
      Fans also praised a MotM performance from Marc Cucurella, who has struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
      It makes Chelsea the first English club to win a Champions League knockout game this season after all four Premier League representatives drew or lost the opening legs.
      Despite the result, Potter still has some way to go in convincing the whole fanbase to get behind him.
      Winning the next game against Leicester would be a good start to achieving this.
      Here are Chelsea’s next five league games More

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      Chelsea fans praise ‘sensational’ transfer flop in Dortmund win after being booed by fans and trolled by team-mate

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      CHELSEA fans have hailed Marc Cucurella following his superb display in their 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.Graham Potter’s side clinched a 2-1 aggregate victory over the German giants on Tuesday evening as they booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
      Marc Cucurella produced a superb performance for Chelsea against DortmundCredit: Getty
      He was named the Uefa Player of the Match for his displayCredit: Getty
      And Cucurella was named the Uefa Player of the Match after a dogged, determined display as part of Chelsea’s back three.
      Due to the unavailability of Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile, the former Brighton man lined up alongside Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly in the heart of the Blues’ defence.
      It came after Potter had left him out of his matchday squad for each of their previous three games against Southampton, Tottenham and Leeds.
      Cucurella has endured a tough time at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea supporters booing him off during their 1-1 draw with West Ham last month.
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      Cucurella was everywhere down the left side for Chelsea
      And after the game new Blues signing Mykhailo Mudryk liked an Instagram post slamming him.
      But the Spaniard answered his critics in Europe on Tuesday night as fans heaped praise on him.
      Reacting on social media, one fan said: “Cucurella’s best performance for the Blues so far, and I am hoping for many more.”
      While another added: “Man played every position on the pitch… he was sensational.”
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      The Blues defender impressed in a host of areas
      A third replied: “For the first time in a Chelsea shirt Cucurella played fantastic football yesterday.”
      And a fourth responded: “Best performance by Cucu in a Chelsea shirt.”
      Cucurella had more touches (59) and completed more passes (35) than any other Chelsea player against Dortmund.
      And Potter hailed his performance after the game, saying: “I’m delighted for him. Obviously when you’re having a bad time like we’ve had then you accept the criticism, you have to deal with it. Marc has dealt with it well.
      “We’ve tried to shield him a little bit and at the same time pick the moment.
      “I thought tonight, regardless of the situation, the crowd were going to get behind us because it’s the Champions League.
      “Tonight, with Benoit not available, I thought he [Cucurella] gave us the left foot and balance in the back three and thankfully he delivered a top performance.” More