Chelsea bidder Nick Candy EXCLUSIVE, Tuchel distances himself from Boro FA Cup plea, Havertz’ classy gesture – updates
THOMAS TUCHEL has distanced himself from Chelsea’s appeal to the FA to play their Cup tie at Middlesbrough behind closed doors.After the Blues board were condemned, following an attempt to make the case the game should be played in front of no fans, Tuchel has backed a U-turn.
The German said: “I think the proposal was withdrawn and it was absolutely the right thing to do, because that was from our side and hopefully it was not meant like this.”
And under the terms and conditions of their latest restriction, it states that Chelsea are unable to sell tickets until a takeover has been complete.
As a result, the Blues are asking for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, Kai Havert has revealed that he is willing to fund his own travel for the away fixture.
Keep reading to find out more on the situation surrounding Chelsea’s ownership problems.
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I’m feeling Grea-t
Jack Grealish has opened up on his move to Man City.
Speaking to the club’s press, Grealish said: “Yeah, It’s been good and I’ve enjoyed it.
“It’s been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be in terms of on the pitch and off the pitch, moving to a new city and so on.
“It’s been different, but I knew that it was going to be like that. I knew that it was going to be me stepping out of my comfort zone, but I’ve enjoyed it.
“I think that’s what life’s all about — experiencing different things — and I’ve certainly done that.”
Chelsea squad go on stroll
Chelsea stars enjoyed a pre-match stroll around Middlesbrough after being granted special permission to fly to the North East.
Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta led the players around next to a smiling N’Golo Kante.
Mason Mount kindly stopped and posed for selfies with fans, and gave a big thumbs up to the camera.
Ronaldinho understands PSG’s boo-boys
Barcelona and PSG legend Ronaldinho has condemned the actions of fans who booed Messi and Neymar.
When speaking to Fox Sports, the Brazilian said: “It’s one of those moments when the fans were sad because they have a big team with all these great players.
“It’s difficult, in such a short amount of time, for everything to go well and for everything to be perfect.
“But I think that all these great players who play together, will do something very good.”
What a Mess
Lionel Messi is set to miss out on Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash with Monaco due to illness.
PSG have confirmed that the star will not make the trip to Monaco due to a flu-like illness which has kept him out of action for the past 48 hours.
Messi has not had the best season since arriving in Paris, despite recording 18 goal contributions in 26 games.
The winger has been plagued with various injury issues, and hasn’t reached the potential he consistently displayed whilst at Barcelona.
Inter eye Cavani
Inter Milan are said to be eyeing a transfer swoop for Man United star Edinson Cavani.
Inter want to bolster their attack and reckon Cavani’s experience could be vital.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter will swoop for Cavani this summer when his contract with United expires.
Sir Broughton’s Chelsea plans
Sir Martin Broughton has outlined his plans to keep the Blues at the summit of English football and to keep Thoma Tuchel in charge if he takes over.
Broughton’s part of a consortium along with Lord Sebastian Coe who want to buy the Blues from Abramovich.
Broughton told talkSPORT: “Do the fans want Thomas Tuchel to stay? Absolutely, they want him to stay.
“There isn’t a Chelsea fan around that I know who would suggest any other solution. That will finish up being down to Tuchel but there’s only one position we’ll be taking.
“Philosophically, we support the Financial Fair Play approach to football. Once those rules are determined again, we will commit to keeping within the rules. But we have the money.
“We have the commitment and we are determined to keep the club where it is.
“I don’t want to be, and none of the guys in the team want to be, the guy who took the club from where it is today to mediocrity. We’re not interested in doing that and making a bit of money. That’s not the name of the game. We want to stay right at the top.”
Ronaldo to stay with United
Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to play for Manchester United next season, according to reports.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is set to see out the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, even if the Red Devils are not in the Champions League.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Ronaldo is confident that the right managerial replacement will be appointed when Ralf Rangnick leaves the club at the end of the season.
Gary Neville’s Chelsea warning
Gary Neville has argued that Chelsea need ‘smart owners’ if they want to continue winning trophies.
Neville sent a stern warning to any prospective Chelsea owners on Friday, just as the deadline for bids had passed.
When speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “The new ownership could set Chelsea back because Roman Abramovich and the people he’s had operating the club have been fantastic owners with respect to what they’ve done in terms of winning.
“They’ve been a success machine for the last 10-20 years.
“That doesn’t just come with money, we’ve seen at Manchester United and Arsenal where they’ve put billions into the team and not had the success that Chelsea have had.
“Chelsea can feel comfortable that they’ll have rich owners, but will they have football smart owners? Because that’s what Abramovich has been.
“For all of the talk over the last few weeks, all the sanctions, the distasteful end to his reign, he has been a pretty impressive football operator and he probably doesn’t get the credit for it because other people operate the club.
“But he sets the tone, you can’t just take it away from the fact that he is the owner.”
Henderson on Liverpool/Benfica clash
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admits that Benfica will give the Reds a tough challenge in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Henderson said ahead of the European clash: “We’re glad to be in the quarter-finals. It’s always going to be tough, to be honest, no matter who you get, so I don’t really look too much at that.
“Whoever we get, we concentrate on that and we give it everything like we always do.
“Benfica will obviously be another difficult opponent, they knocked Ajax out of the last round, who I think were unbeaten up until that point and away from home as well they won.
“So it’ll be a tough test for us again but it always is in the Champions League, especially in the knockout rounds.”
Roma fans love Abraham
Roma have fallen in love with ex-Chelsea star Tammy Abraham as he edges closer to breaking a club record.
Since arriving at the club he has registered an impressive 25 goal contributions in 39 appearances.
His last-minute equaliser against Vitesse on Thursday has put him level with local legends Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta for the most goals scored in a debut season.
Abraham has received high praise from Roma fans since finding his form.
They have even invented a brand new chant for the star – “Tre Punti Tammy” – which means “Tammy Three Points”.
Man United chase Milenkovic
Manchester United have got eyes on Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic this summer, reports claim.
The Serb’s contract is up with the Serie A side in 2023, and United are said to be monitoring his situation closely.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Red Devils United scouts went to watch the centre-back last weekend during Fiorentina’s clash against Bologna.
Conte praises Kulusevski
Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has praised Dejan Kulusevski for the impact he’s made since joining from Juventus in January.
Conte said, reported by The Athletic: “We are talking about an important prospect. He is very young, only 21 years old and despite his young age, he has good experience with the national team.
“To play with Juventus for one year and a half, you understand what it means to live with pressure. Probably he could ‘crack’ in the future.
“Also because I can see the intensity, the will and the desire to play. As everyday in training session he is a type of player in his mind to become a top player in his career.
“While I am his manager, I try to help him to improve and believe. For sure, he is an important prospect for the present and for the future.
“He has to continue in this way he has been one month and a half. He has improved physically, tactically and his mentality.”
De Gea ‘omitted’ from Spain team
David De Gea appears to have been left out of Spain’s latest squad as he does not fit with his country’s style of play.
His nation will play friendlies against Albania and Iceland at the end of this month.
And despite De Gea being Man Utd’s standout man this season, he has been left out of Luis Enrique’s 23-man squad.
Spain’s Euro 2020 starter, Athletic Bilbao shot stopper Unai Simon, and Premier League duo Robert Sanchez and David Raya have all been called up.
Sweeper keeper Raya, who has never represented Spain at any level, has been rewarded for keeping five clean sheets in 15 games in his debut Premier League season with Brentford.
And it appears his passing abilities have led to him being included over De Gea.
Rudiger agrees to Juventus transfer
Antonio rudgier is allegedly set to sign a four-year contract with Juventus.
Chelsea’s German defender, 29, becomes a free agent in June when his current deal expires.
Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were all monitoring the situation.
However, a fresh report has claimed that Rudiger’s future is now sorted.
La Gazzetta dello Sport states that the star has said “yes” to a move to the Bianconeri.
He will sign a four-year deal with the Serie A giants as he prefers a move there over Madrid and Bayern.
Rudiger will pocket around £5.4 million per season in Italy.
Abramovich to decide Chelsea’s future
Roman Abramovich may be sanctioned by the UK government, but he still has the final say in who he sells Chelsea to.
Abramovich, who has been banned as a director by the Premier League, cannot make a single penny from selling the West London outfit.
However he remains in charge of the key decision in deciding who will become Chelsea’s next owner.
The Russian oligarch has received a £2billion-plus offer from property tycoon and lifelong Blues fan Nick Candy.
Speaking to SunSport, Candy said: “Although it’s a sanctioned club, Roman gets the decision on where it goes.
“People might not like that, but it’s his club still – it’s sanctioned – but it’s his club.”
Four finger Dan Burns
Dan Burn has been one of the key men behind Newcastle United’s revival in recent weeks.
The defender moved to the then relegation-threatened Toon from Brighton in January for £13million.
And the 6ft 7in star has been in fine form – although some of his new fan base were shocked to see he is missing a finger!
The former Fulham ace lost his ring finger following an accident when he was a teenager.
The incident occurred when he was just 13, according to The Free Library.
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Good Morning, Chelsea fans
It’s game day!
Chelsea will visit Middlesbrough in the quarter-final of the FA Cup tomorrow, with Boro looking to upset another Premier League outfit.
Middlesbrough have beaten Premier League opposition twice already in the FA Cup, after overcoming Manchester United and Tottenham so far.
Thomas Tuchel is pleased that the team can fly to Middlesbrough rather than take a six-hour coach trip, after this was in jeopardy after the sanctions which mean limited fans will be in attendance.
The Blues will be hoping that it is business as usual in the Quarter-Finals, but will face a tough test against a Boro’ side that have proved they can do it against the big boys.
Kick-off is at 17:15pm.
Candy speaks on dad’s love for Chelsea
Candy told SunSport: “I’ve been going since my dad first took me.
“He said I was four although I can remember going to games when I was seven or eight – and that it was quite scary then with fans standing up around me.
“I watched it through the years from Ruud Gullit and Luca Vialli and others.
“John Terry and Frank Lampard are friends of mine. I have photos of me and my dad down at the training ground with John and Frank.
“Dad died in 2013 and we had his memorial service at Brompton Oratory with the actual party afterwards in the South Stand at Stamford Bridge.
“I asked Roman for permission for us to use the pitch and he let us have a marching band singing Chelsea songs and then we scattered half my dad’s ashes on the Stamford Bridge pitch.
“My dad was a massive fan and of course a massive part of my life if before and now and hopefully he is looking down on me. ”
Candy’s dad’s ashes were scattered on Stamford Bridge pitch
Nick Candy has revealed his dad’s ashes were scattered on the Stamford Bridge pitch.
The Brit businessman and property developer has an emotional attachment to the club, and the memories to back it up.
He has the vision, too.
And if Candy and his consortium do win the fight to win Roman Abramovich’s shares, they have vowed to ensure the WHOLE club is brought into the new world of football.
But it is that private bond with the club he was first taken to watch by his father at the age of four that makes this bid one with something deeper at its heart than just the desire to own a Premier League giant.
What Candy said
For doubtful supporters questioning whether Candy would be willing to replicate the Abramovich approach which has brought 19 major trophies in 19 years, he told SunSport: “On the pitch and in the transfer market, it’s simple – follow the model.
“It’s not failed us and it’s done really well.
“The last 20 years have been brilliant on the pitch. We’ve played glorious football, won everything, and Roman has done an incredible job with his team.
Credit: Getty
“If I got hold of the club I wouldn’t change Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia.
“And if they want it to stay I would love them to stay. Why change something that is brilliant?
“But I don’t think we should end up like Manchester United where we have one rich family that owns Chelsea and there should be a new benchmark of owning football clubs.
“Why does there have to be one rich family that the fans end up hating because they don’t invest?
“It should be a global consortium of the best-in-class in every part of the world.
“We have European and American fans so why doesn’t the consortium come from each continent? And that’s what I’ve tried to do with my bid.”
Candy to keep spending
Nick Candy has pledged to keep spending if he wins the race to buy Chelsea.
The London property developer made his Blue Football Consortium’s £2bn-plus offer for Roman Abramovich’s club before Friday night’s deadline.
Candy promised his “global consortium”, backed by cash from the USA, Europe and South Korean, was serious about delivering a “new model” of ownership.
He also vowed to put his fellow Blues fans “heart and centre” of the club, with a role in the board and decision-making process.
So far the only revealed backer of Candy’s bid is Korean financial company Hana, although he promised the identity of the other money man, including one “very wealthy” Brit and investors in US NBA and NFL franchises, would be revealed next week.
Middlesbrough vs Chelsea info
Chelsea kick-off against Middlesbrough at 17:15pm UK time on Saturday, March 19.
The game is at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough.
Tickets to the game are sold out, and there are expected to be around 500 Chelsea fans.
Middlesbrough vs Chelsea will be shown live on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 4:50pm.
The game is available to live stream for FREE on the BBCiPlayer and BBC Sport website.
FA Cup quarter-final preview
Chelsea will visit Middlesbrough in the quarter-final of the FA Cup tomorrow, with Boro looking to upset another Premier League outfit.
Middlesbrough have beaten Premier League opposition twice already in the FA Cup, after overcoming Manchester United and Tottenham so far.
Chelsea have been the topic of conversation for many lately, after the sale of the club and government sanctions have left many at the club wondering what is next.
Thomas Tuchel is pleased that the team can fly to Middlesbrough rather than take a six-hour coach trip, after this was in jeopardy after the sanctions which mean limited fans will be in attendance.
The Blues will be hoping that it is business as usual in the Quarter-Finals, but will face a tough test against a Boro’ side that have proved they can do it against the big boys.
Alternative potential line up for FA Cup
You may have read our predicted line up below, with Thomas Tuchel expected to line-up strong as Chelsea look to win some silverware.
But alternatively, the German boss could use this game as a chance to tinker.
Lukaku could start up top and Hakim Ziyech may start on the right-hand side.
And Ruben Loftus-Cheek may also be handed minutes to impress.
Boro to donate proceeds from Chelsea clash to Ukraine war aid
Middlesbrough have announced they will donate a share of the proceeds from this weekend’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea to charitable causes in Ukraine.
The Championship side are expecting a sell-out of around 34,000 fans for Saturday evening’s game.
And Boro have generously revealed they will donate a share of their gate receipts to humanitarian aid in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
Middlesbrough have already been awarded 3,200 additional tickets meant for Chelsea fans after the Blues were banned from selling them.
Blues chiefs had pleaded with the Government to allow them to have some supporters on Teesside.
However, the FA confirmed Chelsea had agreed to withdraw their outrageous appeal in a U-turn after Middlesbrough promised to ‘resist Chelsea’s actions in the strongest terms.’
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