Chelsea transfer news

NICK CANDY has “significantly increased” his Chelsea bid from £2bn to over £2.5bn, according to reports.Meanwhile former captain John Terry is backing a bid from the True Blues consortium.
And there looks set to be some good news for Chelsea fans looking to attend their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley.
The Blues have been drawn against Patrick Vieira’s side in the last four and are set to face them on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of April.
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Blue York
Chelsea stars had the best seats in the house in New York to watch some high-flying NBA action.
Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku and Trevor Chalobah all hit the Big Apple for a welcome getaway during the international break.
All three were spotted courtside in New York City, but at two different arenas.

Ziyech and Lukaku were in the front row for a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center. While Chalobah was in Manhattan 24 hours earlier to watch the New York Knicks at the world famous Madison Square Garden.
Ziyech and Lukaku were treated to another Kevin Durant masterclass as he scored 37 points in a 114-106 win over Utah Jazz.
The Jazz were also the Knicks’ opponents the day before, where they ran out 108-93 winners.
Chelsea players are feeling the strain from their club’s current situation with government sanctions limiting their operations. The squad didn’t even know if they could fly to Middlesbrough for their FA Cup quarter-final win at the weekend. But the Blues ran out 2-0 winners to set up a semi-final showdown with Crystal Palace.
Centricus vow ‘continued success’ for Chelsea
Latest bidders Centricus are pledging ‘continued success’ for Chelsea if they win the race to buy out sanction-hit Roman Abramovich
The global investment firm’s co-founder Nizar Al-Bassam and chief executive Garth Ritchie lead the bid, assisted by hedge fund manager Jonathan Lourie of Cheyne Capital and Bob Finch of Talis Capital.
The group is ‘committed to supporting [Chelsea] and its key stakeholders to ensure its continued success’.
The statement added: “Our financing for the deal includes funding for the completion of the transaction and funding for working capital required for the day-to-day operations of the CFC Group, funds required to maintain an elite global brand, investment in grassroots and in-community football initiatives such as the Chelsea Academy, the women’s team, the youth development programme and the Chelsea Foundation and strategic real estate investment.
“The intention is to maintain and support existing management on both the business and sporting operations of the CFC Group. We intend to maintain the existing strategy direction.
“Clearly, the CFC Group has been operating in challenging conditions and we appreciate the importance for the CFC Group, the fans and other key stakeholders of ensuring a smooth and stable ownership transition.”
Red Devils dominate top Prem earners
Manchester United boast four of the top five earners in the Premier League, according to a study.
The Red Devils may be struggling off the pitch but their financial power is still strong.

Research from respected French publication L’Equipe shows that they dominate the list of highest-paid players.
The French newspaper released their list of the top five earners in the Premier League on Tuesday.
And four of them currently ply their trade at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo takes home £2.2million a month – or £26.4m per year – making him the best-paid player in England.
That figure is still someway off the £3.4million that his rival Lionel Messi earns at Paris Saint-Germain every month.
Man City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne is the second highest earner with a wage of £1.7m per month (£20.4m a year).
Blues pay £600k a week on loan exiles
Chelsea are forking out £600k-per-week for players currently out on loan at other clubs, according to the latest data.
A report from BettingOdds (via The Star) indicates that the Blues are currently paying more than half-a-million pounds in wages each week for a long list of young stars playing their football away from Stamford Bridge.
The Blues’ habit of overloading their squad with the best young players in the country, and then sending them out on loan for their formative years has long been criticised by supporters of other clubs.
The likes of Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour, Armando Broja, Ethan Ampadu, Levi Colwill and Dujon Sterling are currently among 24 players that have been loaned out for the season by The Blues.
It recently emerged that Chelsea’s daily expenditure was around the £1million mark, and this development is likely to be of further concern for any would-be buyers.
Tammy still star-struck by Jose
Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has revealed his love for two-time Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
The pair have again linked up at Roma, where Abraham has been busy making himself a cult hero with the Stadio Olimpico crowd.
The England international scored twice in Sunday’s 3-0 win over city rivals Lazio, and now has 23 goals in 40 appearances since joining the Giallorossi.
In an interview with CBS Sports (via Football Italia), Abraham explained why he eventually moved to Serie A despite initial concerns. He said: “At first, when they initially contacted me, I thought to myself, ‘This isn’t for me’.
“But then, when people explain to your their ambitions, and show that they have faith you and make you feel valuable, that’s when you want to give them everything you can. As soon as I arrived here, I fell in love with this place.
“I still look up to [Jose] as an idol. And I never told him this, but every time I see him I’m still star-struck even though I see him every day.
“When he was at Chelsea, I was there, but I was still a young kid. I trained with him a couple of times so I knew what he was like a little bit and since coming here, I call him my uncle of Rome.”

Candy consortium set for sweet FA
Nick Candy and his consortium have supposedly been unsuccessful in their attempts to purchase Chelsea.
That’s the view of eagled-eyed social media sleuths, who translated a now-deleted instagram post from Catalina Kim, one of Candy’s backers.
The post in Korean apparently reveals that the consortium ‘are disappointed as [the] South Korea embassy didn’t support them.’
Kim goes on to apologise ‘to the fans who supported.’
There has been no official word from either Nick Candy nor the Raine Group.
New owners must protect club’s heritage
The new owners of Chelsea Football Club must ‘protect the club’s heritage by issuing a golden share for supporters.’
That’s the belief of the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, who last night issued a statement imploring the Government to safeguard the Blues’ future.
The fans group believe it is essential that supporters are given a stake and subsequent say in the club, and any bid that doesn’t support such an initiative should be immediately discounted.
The shortlist of potential purchasers is expected to be narrowed to three or four parties imminently.
Credit: Chelsea Supporters’ Trust
Chelsea in loan stars state
Chelsea are forking out £600k-per-week for players currently out on loan at other clubs, according to the latest data.
A report from BettingOdds (via The Star) indicates that the Blues are currently paying more than half-a-million pounds in wages each week for a long list of young stars playing their football away from Stamford Bridge.
The Blues’ habit of overloading their squad with the best young players in the country, and then sending them out on loan for their formative years has long been criticised by supporters of other clubs.
The likes of Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour, Armando Broja, Ethan Ampadu, Levi Colwill and Dujon Sterling are currently among 24 players that have been loaned out for the season by The Blues.
It recently emerged that Chelsea’s daily expenditure was around the £1million mark, and this development is likely to be of further concern for any would-be buyers.
Emerson heading back to Bridge
Emerson Palmieri is set to quit Lyon and return to Chelsea, according to reports in France.
Football journalist Sebastien Denis states that the Italian is unhappy at the Groupama Stadium, and could cut short his loan spell with the Ligue 1 club.
Initially, it looked as though the move would be made permanent after Emerson made an impressive start to his time with the French club.
However, it soon became apparent that Lyon would be unlikely to finance the left-back’s wages.
Emerson is out of contract at Chelsea this summer, but may pen an extension with concerns over Ben Chilwell’s fitness and question marks over Marcos Alonso’s ability to play regularly at the top level.
Reds to hijack Blues’ Tchou coup
Liverpool hope to take advantage of Chelsea’s troubles by hijacking their move for Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni.
Thomas Tuchel has been an admirer of the midfielder for some time, and had identified the 22-year-old as the perfect long-term replacement for N’Golo Kante.
A bid from The Bridge was supposedly imminent, but the club are currently unable to do business while outgoing owner Roman Abramovich sanctioned.
The Express now report Jurgen Klopp as being ‘very interested’ in the player with the Anfield club preparing a £42million bid with The Blues out of action in the transfer market.
Shortlist could be finalised today
The Raine Group are expected to narrow the field of Chelsea’s potential purchasers today, according to Sky Sports News.
The merchant bank appointed by Roman Abramovich to oversee the sale of the club will present a shortlist of three or four parties imminently to both Chelsea and the UK Government.
A joint decision will then be made on the most suitable offer, which will then be disclosed to the Premier League.
Takeovers have previously been completed in around ten days, but due to the complexities of this case, a deal is likely to take around a month.
Morning Chelsea news
Nick Candy’s Chelsea takeover bid has been bolstered by a new financial backer.
Candy, 49, submitted a £2billion bid for his boyhood club to The Raine Group last Friday.
Following the addition of a new backer to his Blue Football Consortium, however, he has now upped his offer.
The bid now has the backing of South Korea’s Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports Group.
In other news, The FA is in talks with the government to find a way to sell tickets to Chelsea fans for next month’s FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace.
The Blues are currently barred from selling tickets due to sanctions placed on club owner Roman Abramovich in the wake of his country Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are not chasing Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel to be their new manager, according to reports.
The German has been linked with the position at the Red Devils, which will become vacant in the summer when interim boss Ralf Rangnick moves into a consultancy role.
But Sky Sports are now reporting United are ‘not considering’ Tuchel and describe him being linked to the Old Trafford hot-seat as ‘media talk and not reality’.
Though Chelsea are plotting a move for Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni at the end of the season.
Foot Mercato state that the Premier League club have been tracking the midfielder ‘for months’ ahead of a possible summer move to Stamford Bridge.
And finally, Chelsea have been put on red alert with Paulo Dybala to depart Juventus at the end of the season.
The Argentine ace will be available on a free transfer having failed to agree terms on a new deal in Turin.
Ricketts confident of making shortlist
The Ricketts family are confident they will be shortlisted in the race to buy Chelsea, according to an Evening Standard report.
The owners of American baseball club Chicago Cubs are set to jet into the UK to meet Blues fans and the Chelsea Pitch Owners PLC to outline their vision for the club.
Chicago Cubs chairman Thomas Ricketts is co founder of investment bank Incapital LLC.
Chelsea fans’ FA Cup hope
The FA is in talks with the government to find a way to sell tickets to Chelsea fans for next month’s FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace.
The Blues are currently barred from selling tickets due to sanctions placed on club owner Roman Abramovich in the wake of his country Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But an FA spokesperson said: “We hope to have sell-out crowds at both of our Emirates FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley Stadium.
“This includes tickets for Chelsea supporters for their match against Crystal Palace.
“And we are working with the government on a method to achieve this while respecting the sanctions that are currently in place on Chelsea.”
Candy makes improved Chelsea offer
Nick Candy’s bid to buy Chelsea has been bolstered by a new financial backing from South Korea’s Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports Group.
Candy, 49, submitted a £2billion bid for his boyhood club last Friday but his Blue Football Consortium has now upped its offer.
Women’s FA Cup London derby
Women’s FA Cup holders Chelsea will go to Arsenal in the semi-finals of this season’s competition.
The Blues beat the Gunners in last year’s final.
The other last-four tie sees West Ham hosting Manchester City.
Both games will be played on Sunday, April 17, with the final at Wembley on May 15.
Manchester United ‘not after’ Tuchel
Manchester United are not chasing Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel to be their new manager, according to reports.
The German has been linked with the position at the Red Devils, which will become vacant in the summer when interim boss Ralf Rangnick moves into a consultancy role.
Sky Sports are now reporting United are ‘not considering’ Tuchel and describe him being linked to the Old Trafford hot-seat as ‘media talk and not reality’.
Shevchenko on ‘changed’ Abramovich relationship
Andriy Shevchenko says his relationship with Roman Abramovich has been changed as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s legendary striker was signed by Russian oligarch Abramovic’s club Chelsea in 2006.
Now Sheva is trying to help those in his war-torn homeland while Abramovich has been hit by sanctions by the UK government due to his alleged ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Shevcnehko told the Daily Mail: “We had a long relationship and I don’t think it will ever be the same.
“But I also know there are a lot of Russian people who want to stop the war.”
Lampard labeled ‘salty’ by fans
Crystal Palace fans felt Everton manager Frank Lampard was a sore loser after Sunday’s FA Cup humiliation at Selhurst Park.
After a 4-0 quarter-final win for the Eagles, Chelsea legend Lamps described two of the goals as ‘average’ and one as ‘a fluke’.
One Palace fan tweeted: “Sooo salty Lampard.”
Another said: “Why’s Lampard so f***ing salty. Get over it, we battered you and you were s***!”
Ex-Chelsea keeper’s MMA win
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Ricardo Prasel has made a winning start to his new MMA career in Poland.
The Brazilian, 31, was a Blues squad player over a decade ago who never made a first-team appearance for Jose Mourinho’s star-studded side.
On Saturday night he recovered from a first-round battering at the hands of fellow heavyweight Michal Kita in a KSW MMA event to win by TKO in round two with a ground and pound finish.
Blues fancy summer Tchou coup
Chelsea are plotting a move for Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni at the end of the season, according to French Media.
Foot Mercato state that the Premier League club have been tracking the midfielder ‘for months’ ahead of a possible summer move to Stamford Bridge.
However, the Blues face stiff competition for the 22-year-old from several clubs including that of rivals Liverpool.
Thomas Tuchel is understood to be an admirer of the French international, and is already considering long-term replacements for Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
Dybala exit to fuel transfer frenzy
Premier League clubs have been placed on red alert after it was announced that contract talks between Paulo Dybala and Juventus had broken down.
After two hours of negotiations this morning, the striker’s agent revealed that the striker would not be signing a new deal in Turin, and would leave the club this summer on a free transfer.
A number of English clubs had been linked with the 28-year-old in recent months including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, but the expectation was that the forward was about to commit his future to Juve.
This afternoon’s revelation is now likely to start a bidding war as clubs prepare attractive packages for the Argentine.
Dybala has scored 113 goals in 283 appearances for the Old Lady, and has 32 international caps for his country.

Progressive talks just the ticket
Chelsea fans could yet be in attendance at their FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley after it was revealed that government officials are in discussion with the club and the Football Association.
The Times report that plans regarding a commercial ticket agency being brought in to sell tickets to supporters is being considered with the proceeds to be held in a frozen account.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have been prohibited from selling new tickets to games following the sanctioning of owner Roman Abramovich.
If agreed, the process could also be used to sell tickets for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-finals with Real Madrid, and their remaining Premier League matches.
Jose wants big-time Charly
Roma boss Jose Mourinho wants Charly Musonda to become the latest Chelsea player to join him at the Stadio Olimpico.
The forgotten Blues star is finally set to depart Stamford Bridge after a decade with the London club when his contract comes to an end in the summer.
Goal report that former boss Mourinho hopes the 25-year-old will make the same journey as Tammy Abraham before him by heading to the Italian capital.
The Belgian midfielder broke into the Chelseas first team in 2016, but has had to deal with a host of injuries and loan spells away since.

Centricus reveal bid for Blues
Global investment firm Centricus has confirmed that it made an offer to buy Chelsea on Friday, and revealed four key areas it intends to fund should their bid be successful.
The London-based firm is headed by Nizar Al-Bassam and Garth Ritchie, who have also teamed up with Cheyne Capital’s Jonathan Lourie and Talis Capital’s Bob Finch. All four are season ticket holders at Stamford Bridge.
Centricus oversees global assets worth a staggering £40 billion, and vowed to pour money into the club, allowing for normal day-to-day operations while also building for the future.
A statement confirmed the bid, and proposed the four areas which they wish to finance:

Working capital required for the day-to-day operations of the CFC Group.
Funds required to maintain an elite global brand.
Investment in grassroots and in-community football initiatives such as the Chelsea Academy, the Women’s Team, the Youth Development Program and the Chelsea Foundation.
Strategic real estate investment.

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CHELSEA are waiting to find out whether or not the club will be allowed to sell tickets for their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.The Blues have been drawn against Patrick Vieira’s side in the last four and are set to face them on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of April.
The FA are in talks with the Government to make sure Chelsea fans can attend the Wembley clash.
The Blues are currently banned from selling tickets under the sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich.
And Chelsea fans will now be waiting to see who their new owner will be, following final bids from prospective buyers last week.
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Ricketts confident of making shortlist
The Ricketts family are confident they will be shortlisted in the race to buy Chelsea, according to an Evening Standard report.
The owners of American baseball club Chicago Cubs are set to jet into the UK to meet Blues fans and the Chelsea Pitch Owners PLC to outline their vision for the club.
Chicago Cubs chairman Thomas Ricketts is co founder of investment bank Incapital LLC.
Chelsea fans’ FA Cup hope
The FA is in talks with the government to find a way to sell tickets to Chelsea fans for next month’s FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace.
The Blues are currently barred from selling tickets due to sanctions placed on club owner Roman Abramovich in the wake of his country Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But an FA spokesperson said: “We hope to have sell-out crowds at both of our Emirates FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley Stadium.
“This includes tickets for Chelsea supporters for their match against Crystal Palace.
“And we are working with the government on a method to achieve this while respecting the sanctions that are currently in place on Chelsea.”
Candy makes improved Chelsea offer
Nick Candy’s bid to buy Chelsea has been bolstered by a new financial backing from South Korea’s Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports Group.
Candy, 49, submitted a £2billion bid for his boyhood club last Friday but his Blue Football Consortium has now upped its offer.
Women’s FA Cup London derby
Women’s FA Cup holders Chelsea will go to Arsenal in the semi-finals of this season’s competition.
The Blues beat the Gunners in last year’s final.
The other last-four tie sees West Ham hosting Manchester City.
Both games will be played on Sunday, April 17, with the final at Wembley on May 15.
Manchester United ‘not after’ Tuchel
Manchester United are not chasing Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel to be their new manager, according to reports.
The German has been linked with the position at the Red Devils, which will become vacant in the summer when interim boss Ralf Rangnick moves into a consultancy role.
Sky Sports are now reporting United are ‘not considering’ Tuchel and describe him being linked to the Old Trafford hot-seat as ‘media talk and not reality’.
Shevchenko on ‘changed’ Abramovich relationship
Andriy Shevchenko says his relationship with Roman Abramovich has been changed as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s legendary striker was signed by Russian oligarch Abramovic’s club Chelsea in 2006.
Now Sheva is trying to help those in his war-torn homeland while Abramovich has been hit by sanctions by the UK government due to his alleged ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Shevcnehko told the Daily Mail: “We had a long relationship and I don’t think it will ever be the same.
“But I also know there are a lot of Russian people who want to stop the war.”
Lampard labeled ‘salty’ by fans
Crystal Palace fans felt Everton manager Frank Lampard was a sore loser after Sunday’s FA Cup humiliation at Selhurst Park.
After a 4-0 quarter-final win for the Eagles, Chelsea legend Lamps described two of the goals as ‘average’ and one as ‘a fluke’.
One Palace fan tweeted: “Sooo salty Lampard.”
Another said: “Why’s Lampard so f***ing salty. Get over it, we battered you and you were s***!”
Ex-Chelsea keeper’s MMA win
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Ricardo Prasel has made a winning start to his new MMA career in Poland.
The Brazilian, 31, was a Blues squad player over a decade ago who never made a first-team appearance for Jose Mourinho’s star-studded side.
On Saturday night he recovered from a first-round battering at the hands of fellow heavyweight Michal Kita in a KSW MMA event to win by TKO in round two with a ground and pound finish.
Blues fancy summer Tchou coup
Chelsea are plotting a move for Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni at the end of the season, according to French Media.
Foot Mercato state that the Premier League club have been tracking the midfielder ‘for months’ ahead of a possible summer move to Stamford Bridge.
However, the Blues face stiff competition for the 22-year-old from several clubs including that of rivals Liverpool.
Thomas Tuchel is understood to be an admirer of the French international, and is already considering long-term replacements for Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
Dybala exit to fuel transfer frenzy
Premier League clubs have been placed on red alert after it was announced that contract talks between Paulo Dybala and Juventus had broken down.
After two hours of negotiations this morning, the striker’s agent revealed that the striker would not be signing a new deal in Turin, and would leave the club this summer on a free transfer.
A number of English clubs had been linked with the 28-year-old in recent months including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, but the expectation was that the forward was about to commit his future to Juve.
This afternoon’s revelation is now likely to start a bidding war as clubs prepare attractive packages for the Argentine.
Dybala has scored 113 goals in 283 appearances for the Old Lady, and has 32 international caps for his country.

Progressive talks just the ticket
Chelsea fans could yet be in attendance at their FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley after it was revealed that government officials are in discussion with the club and the Football Association.
The Times report that plans regarding a commercial ticket agency being brought in to sell tickets to supporters is being considered with the proceeds to be held in a frozen account.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have been prohibited from selling new tickets to games following the sanctioning of owner Roman Abramovich.
If agreed, the process could also be used to sell tickets for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-finals with Real Madrid, and their remaining Premier League matches.
Jose wants big-time Charly
Roma boss Jose Mourinho wants Charly Musonda to become the latest Chelsea player to join him at the Stadio Olimpico.
The forgotten Blues star is finally set to depart Stamford Bridge after a decade with the London club when his contract comes to an end in the summer.
Goal report that former boss Mourinho hopes the 25-year-old will make the same journey as Tammy Abraham before him by heading to the Italian capital.
The Belgian midfielder broke into the Chelseas first team in 2016, but has had to deal with a host of injuries and loan spells away since.

Centricus reveal bid for Blues
Global investment firm Centricus has confirmed that it made an offer to buy Chelsea on Friday, and revealed four key areas it intends to fund should their bid be successful.
The London-based firm is headed by Nizar Al-Bassam and Garth Ritchie, who have also teamed up with Cheyne Capital’s Jonathan Lourie and Talis Capital’s Bob Finch. All four are season ticket holders at Stamford Bridge.
Centricus oversees global assets worth a staggering £40 billion, and vowed to pour money into the club, allowing for normal day-to-day operations while also building for the future.
A statement confirmed the bid, and proposed the four areas which they wish to finance:

Working capital required for the day-to-day operations of the CFC Group.
Funds required to maintain an elite global brand.
Investment in grassroots and in-community football initiatives such as the Chelsea Academy, the Women’s Team, the Youth Development Program and the Chelsea Foundation.
Strategic real estate investment.

Blues facing frantic April schedule
Chelsea have 12 days in which to begin resolving their off field issues before the April action comes at them thick and fast.
Thomas Tuchel’s team face five key games in the space of a fortnight that could make or break their season.
First up is a west London derby with Brentford at Stamford Bridge, four days before they welcome Real Madrid to the capital for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Then Blues then go to Southampton ahead of the return fixture in Spain, and then there’s the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley.

Consortiums to learn purchase failure
A number of consortiums are expected to discover this morning if their bids to buy Chelsea have been unsuccessful.
That’s the understanding of The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, who reports that the Raine Group view some of the offers received on Friday as being ‘less serious’ than others.
The bank intend to narrow the field with a shortlist of around four potential purchasers in the coming days.
American businessman Todd Boehly is currently seen as the favourite to take over ownership at Stamford Bridge.
Nice one, Ma-son: Mount praises players
Mason Mount put in another top class performance as Chelsea saw off Middlesbrough in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, and then afterwards praised the mentality of his teammates.
Despite the trials and tribulations off the pitch, The Blues reached their fifth FA Cup semi-final in six seasons as two Mount assists took his total goal involvements for the club to 50 (25 goals, 25 assists) in just 147 appearances.
Speaking at full time, the England midfielder maintained that Thomas Tuchel’s squad were fully focused despite all the issues, and that they were confident they could maintain their impressive form. He said: “We have that winning mentality in the group.
“Any game, any competition, we want to win. Cup or league, we give it everything. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but we are focused and ready to play.”

FA demand assurances over agent payments
The Athletic report that the Football Association have written to agents to ensure that any money from Chelsea will not be going to those currently under government sanctions.
Agents and agencies connected to the club will receive their latest round of payments after the cash was released to the FA just days before restrictions were put in place.
In normal circumstances, the governing body would quickly distribute money to player representatives, but on this occasion they have contacted recipients for documented proof as to the finances’ final destination.
Broughton’s Blues bid in doubt
Sir Martin Broughton’s attempt to buy Chelsea could be scuppered if it emerges that Joshua Harris and David Blitzer are behind the bid, report The Telegraph.
The pair are currently shareholders in Crystal Palace, and, under Premier League rules, would not be able to hold stakes in both clubs due to a conflict of interest.
The identity of investors within Broughton’s consortium are currently unknown, but Harris and Blitzer are understood to have close ties to the businessman.
Official offers for the football club were submitted to the Raine Group on Friday with bidders now expected to hear back in due course.
Good morning footy fans
Lionel Messi reportedly looks set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season despite talk he could return to Barcelona.
Messi has struggled for goals and was knocked out in the second round of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
However, according to Marca, Messi will stay at PSG beyond the end of this disappointing season.
After emotionally leaving Barca last year, he signed a two-year contract with Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
And he is expected to see out his deal with the club, although there is currently no option of an additional year.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are set to pull Reece James out of the England squad due to injury – leaving Luke Shaw as the only specialist full-back.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel revealed the news after his side secured a place in the FA Cup semi-final by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 on Saturday.
He said: “The recommendation is that he does not go.
“He is still in individual training, otherwise we would have brought him to Lille and we would have brought him here for sure.
“There is no doubt about it. He needs one more week of rehabilitation and I think we can provide this much better.
“It is not the job of the national team to do this.”
Crystal Palace star Tyrick Mitchell is expected to be called up as his replacement.
In transfer news, Aston Villa are in pole position to snag Kalvin Philips from Leeds, reports suggest.
Villa are willing to pay the Whites £60m for the England and ace, according to the Times.
And Steven Gerrard’s side plan to lure Philips with a huge salary, The Times claim.
Crazy scenes at Amsterdam Arena
A fire broke out at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday afternoon prior to Ajax’s game against Feyenoord.
The hugely anticipated Dutch clash saw scary scenes before kick-off when flares were set off at one end of the ground.
When they went out a blaze then ensued, with reports saying that flares caught a banner which fed the flames.
Thick black smoke engulfed a large portion of the fans behind the goal, before the fire was eventually put out.
It is unclear whether or not anybody was injured.

Piers Morgan slams Aubameyang exit
Piers Morgan took aim at Mikel Arteta over the manager’s decision to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the club, after the Gabonese forward scored twice in his first Clasico for Barcelona.
He tweeted: “A free transfer. WE GAVE HIM AWAY”.
“Another brilliant goal by Aubameyang – this time in El Clasico.
“He’s been the world’s most lethal goal machine since joining Barcelona… and with every goal he scores, he makes Arteta look more absurd for giving him away.”
Forest rue bad cup luck
Nottingham Forest were left fuming after being denied a late penalty in their FA Cup defeat to Liverpool.
Ryan Yates burst through on goal in the 85th minute looking to net a dramatic equaliser.
He tried to knock the ball around Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who stretched wide in vain after rushing out from his station.
And a full-throttle charge from both men saw Yates go down in the box.
The Forest star and his teammates wildly protested to the referee that it should be a penalty.
However, VAR entered the chat as Stockley Park officials reviewed the footage.
And replays suggested that although Alisson’s decision had been rash, there was minimal contact between him and Yates, who also appeared to drag his leg out.
United receive midfielder transfer boost
Manchester United and Liverpool are on alert after Monaco reportedly dropped their asking price for midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Previously, reports have put Tchouameni’s price tag at £50million.
Goal, who cite reports in France, provide an update on the star’s future – and it is good news for the potential suitors.
The report claims Monaco will now accept bids worth £42m. The reason for the price drop is not given though.
Fans fume over El Clasico
Football fans were left fuming after tuning into El Clasico to discover BOTH sides had opted for strange kit choices.
Usually, regardless of whether the match is played at the Bernabeu or Nou Camp, traditionally teams would wear their home jerseys.
However, rather than wear their traditional white kit – Los Blancos opted to debut a black ensemble designed by Yohji Yamamoto that’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of Adidas x Y-3 and 120 years of Real Madrid.
While Barcelona went with their yellow away kit with three red stripes across the chest.
Those choices did not sit well with the football purists, who slammed their chosen outfits on Twitter.
One viewer wrote: “Just turned on Real Madrid v Barca – neither team wearing their home kit, game is well and truly gone.”
Beckham shows support for Ukraine
David Beckham’s Instagram account has today been taken over by a doctor in Ukraine in a bid to show the reality of their struggling medical facilities.
The Man United legend issued a heartfelt plea to his followers to support the “incredible people” working in “appalling conditions”.
He praised the head of the regional perinatal centre and child anesthesiologist Iryna before handing over his social media account to her on Sunday.
The dedicated doc detailed her plight caring for newborn babies and their mothers in Kharkiv as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Iryna told how on the first day of the devastating conflict, pregnant women and mothers had to be “evacuated to the basement”.
Load more entries… More

CHELSEA beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in their FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday in what was a comfortable game throughout for the Blues. The Blues board were condemned, following an attempt to make the case the game should be played in front of no fans, but Thomas Tuchel 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.”
Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech scores Chelsea’s goals in the clash.
Blues fans will now be waiting to see who their new owner will be, following final bids from prospective buyers on Friday.
Follow ALL of the latest updates and transfer gossip from Stamford Bridge right here…
Ex-Chelsea keeper’s MMA win
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Ricardo Prasel has made a winning start to his new MMA career in Poland.
The Brazilian, 31, was a Blues squad player over a decade ago who never made a first-team appearance for Jose Mourinho’s star-studded side.
On Saturday night he recovered from a first-round battering at the hands of fellow heavyweight Michal Kita in a KSW MMA event to win by TKO in round two with a ground and pound finish.
Blues fancy summer Tchou coup
Chelsea are plotting a move for Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni at the end of the season, according to French Media.
Foot Mercato state that the Premier League club have been tracking the midfielder ‘for months’ ahead of a possible summer move to Stamford Bridge.
However, the Blues face stiff competition for the 22-year-old from several clubs including that of rivals Liverpool.
Thomas Tuchel is understood to be an admirer of the French international, and is already considering long-term replacements for Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
Dybala exit to fuel transfer frenzy
Premier League clubs have been placed on red alert after it was announced that contract talks between Paulo Dybala and Juventus had broken down.
After two hours of negotiations this morning, the striker’s agent revealed that the striker would not be signing a new deal in Turin, and would leave the club this summer on a free transfer.
A number of English clubs had been linked with the 28-year-old in recent months including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, but the expectation was that the forward was about to commit his future to Juve.
This afternoon’s revelation is now likely to start a bidding war as clubs prepare attractive packages for the Argentine.
Dybala has scored 113 goals in 283 appearances for the Old Lady, and has 32 international caps for his country.

Progressive talks just the ticket
Chelsea fans could yet be in attendance at their FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley after it was revealed that government officials are in discussion with the club and the Football Association.
The Times report that plans regarding a commercial ticket agency being brought in to sell tickets to supporters is being considered with the proceeds to be held in a frozen account.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have been prohibited from selling new tickets to games following the sanctioning of owner Roman Abramovich.
If agreed, the process could also be used to sell tickets for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-finals with Real Madrid, and their remaining Premier League matches.
Jose wants big-time Charly
Roma boss Jose Mourinho wants Charly Musonda to become the latest Chelsea player to join him at the Stadio Olimpico.
The forgotten Blues star is finally set to depart Stamford Bridge after a decade with the London club when his contract comes to an end in the summer.
Goal report that former boss Mourinho hopes the 25-year-old will make the same journey as Tammy Abraham before him by heading to the Italian capital.
The Belgian midfielder broke into the Chelseas first team in 2016, but has had to deal with a host of injuries and loan spells away since.

Centricus reveal bid for Blues
Global investment firm Centricus has confirmed that it made an offer to buy Chelsea on Friday, and revealed four key areas it intends to fund should their bid be successful.
The London-based firm is headed by Nizar Al-Bassam and Garth Ritchie, who have also teamed up with Cheyne Capital’s Jonathan Lourie and Talis Capital’s Bob Finch. All four are season ticket holders at Stamford Bridge.
Centricus oversees global assets worth a staggering £40 billion, and vowed to pour money into the club, allowing for normal day-to-day operations while also building for the future.
A statement confirmed the bid, and proposed the four areas which they wish to finance:

Working capital required for the day-to-day operations of the CFC Group.
Funds required to maintain an elite global brand.
Investment in grassroots and in-community football initiatives such as the Chelsea Academy, the Women’s Team, the Youth Development Program and the Chelsea Foundation.
Strategic real estate investment.

Blues facing frantic April schedule
Chelsea have 12 days in which to begin resolving their off field issues before the April action comes at them thick and fast.
Thomas Tuchel’s team face five key games in the space of a fortnight that could make or break their season.
First up is a west London derby with Brentford at Stamford Bridge, four days before they welcome Real Madrid to the capital for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Then Blues then go to Southampton ahead of the return fixture in Spain, and then there’s the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley.

Consortiums to learn purchase failure
A number of consortiums are expected to discover this morning if their bids to buy Chelsea have been unsuccessful.
That’s the understanding of The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, who reports that the Raine Group view some of the offers received on Friday as being ‘less serious’ than others.
The bank intend to narrow the field with a shortlist of around four potential purchasers in the coming days.
American businessman Todd Boehly is currently seen as the favourite to take over ownership at Stamford Bridge.
Nice one, Ma-son: Mount praises players
Mason Mount put in another top class performance as Chelsea saw off Middlesbrough in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, and then afterwards praised the mentality of his teammates.
Despite the trials and tribulations off the pitch, The Blues reached their fifth FA Cup semi-final in six seasons as two Mount assists took his total goal involvements for the club to 50 (25 goals, 25 assists) in just 147 appearances.
Speaking at full time, the England midfielder maintained that Thomas Tuchel’s squad were fully focused despite all the issues, and that they were confident they could maintain their impressive form. He said: “We have that winning mentality in the group.
“Any game, any competition, we want to win. Cup or league, we give it everything. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but we are focused and ready to play.”

FA demand assurances over agent payments
The Athletic report that the Football Association have written to agents to ensure that any money from Chelsea will not be going to those currently under government sanctions.
Agents and agencies connected to the club will receive their latest round of payments after the cash was released to the FA just days before restrictions were put in place.
In normal circumstances, the governing body would quickly distribute money to player representatives, but on this occasion they have contacted recipients for documented proof as to the finances’ final destination.
Broughton’s Blues bid in doubt
Sir Martin Broughton’s attempt to buy Chelsea could be scuppered if it emerges that Joshua Harris and David Blitzer are behind the bid, report The Telegraph.
The pair are currently shareholders in Crystal Palace, and, under Premier League rules, would not be able to hold stakes in both clubs due to a conflict of interest.
The identity of investors within Broughton’s consortium are currently unknown, but Harris and Blitzer are understood to have close ties to the businessman.
Official offers for the football club were submitted to the Raine Group on Friday with bidders now expected to hear back in due course.
Good morning footy fans
Lionel Messi reportedly looks set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season despite talk he could return to Barcelona.
Messi has struggled for goals and was knocked out in the second round of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
However, according to Marca, Messi will stay at PSG beyond the end of this disappointing season.
After emotionally leaving Barca last year, he signed a two-year contract with Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
And he is expected to see out his deal with the club, although there is currently no option of an additional year.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are set to pull Reece James out of the England squad due to injury – leaving Luke Shaw as the only specialist full-back.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel revealed the news after his side secured a place in the FA Cup semi-final by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 on Saturday.
He said: “The recommendation is that he does not go.
“He is still in individual training, otherwise we would have brought him to Lille and we would have brought him here for sure.
“There is no doubt about it. He needs one more week of rehabilitation and I think we can provide this much better.
“It is not the job of the national team to do this.”
Crystal Palace star Tyrick Mitchell is expected to be called up as his replacement.
In transfer news, Aston Villa are in pole position to snag Kalvin Philips from Leeds, reports suggest.
Villa are willing to pay the Whites £60m for the England and ace, according to the Times.
And Steven Gerrard’s side plan to lure Philips with a huge salary, The Times claim.
Crazy scenes at Amsterdam Arena
A fire broke out at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday afternoon prior to Ajax’s game against Feyenoord.
The hugely anticipated Dutch clash saw scary scenes before kick-off when flares were set off at one end of the ground.
When they went out a blaze then ensued, with reports saying that flares caught a banner which fed the flames.
Thick black smoke engulfed a large portion of the fans behind the goal, before the fire was eventually put out.
It is unclear whether or not anybody was injured.

Piers Morgan slams Aubameyang exit
Piers Morgan took aim at Mikel Arteta over the manager’s decision to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the club, after the Gabonese forward scored twice in his first Clasico for Barcelona.
He tweeted: “A free transfer. WE GAVE HIM AWAY”.
“Another brilliant goal by Aubameyang – this time in El Clasico.
“He’s been the world’s most lethal goal machine since joining Barcelona… and with every goal he scores, he makes Arteta look more absurd for giving him away.”
Forest rue bad cup luck
Nottingham Forest were left fuming after being denied a late penalty in their FA Cup defeat to Liverpool.
Ryan Yates burst through on goal in the 85th minute looking to net a dramatic equaliser.
He tried to knock the ball around Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who stretched wide in vain after rushing out from his station.
And a full-throttle charge from both men saw Yates go down in the box.
The Forest star and his teammates wildly protested to the referee that it should be a penalty.
However, VAR entered the chat as Stockley Park officials reviewed the footage.
And replays suggested that although Alisson’s decision had been rash, there was minimal contact between him and Yates, who also appeared to drag his leg out.
United receive midfielder transfer boost
Manchester United and Liverpool are on alert after Monaco reportedly dropped their asking price for midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Previously, reports have put Tchouameni’s price tag at £50million.
Goal, who cite reports in France, provide an update on the star’s future – and it is good news for the potential suitors.
The report claims Monaco will now accept bids worth £42m. The reason for the price drop is not given though.
Fans fume over El Clasico
Football fans were left fuming after tuning into El Clasico to discover BOTH sides had opted for strange kit choices.
Usually, regardless of whether the match is played at the Bernabeu or Nou Camp, traditionally teams would wear their home jerseys.
However, rather than wear their traditional white kit – Los Blancos opted to debut a black ensemble designed by Yohji Yamamoto that’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of Adidas x Y-3 and 120 years of Real Madrid.
While Barcelona went with their yellow away kit with three red stripes across the chest.
Those choices did not sit well with the football purists, who slammed their chosen outfits on Twitter.
One viewer wrote: “Just turned on Real Madrid v Barca – neither team wearing their home kit, game is well and truly gone.”
Beckham shows support for Ukraine
David Beckham’s Instagram account has today been taken over by a doctor in Ukraine in a bid to show the reality of their struggling medical facilities.
The Man United legend issued a heartfelt plea to his followers to support the “incredible people” working in “appalling conditions”.
He praised the head of the regional perinatal centre and child anesthesiologist Iryna before handing over his social media account to her on Sunday.
The dedicated doc detailed her plight caring for newborn babies and their mothers in Kharkiv as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Iryna told how on the first day of the devastating conflict, pregnant women and mothers had to be “evacuated to the basement”.
Frank Lampard fumes at performance
Everton boss Frank Lampard has slammed his stars after they were humiliated by Crystal Palace.
The Toffees were thrashed 4-0 at Selhurst Park on Sunday and missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Afterwards, the irate manager laid into his flops – asking if they had the “b* to play.”
Lampard said after the final whistle: “There is only so much you can keep trying to butter someone up to get confidence.
“You’re playing at the cut-throat end of football; this is the FA Cup quarter-finals. If you haven’t got the confidence to play, you can flip it and say: ‘Have you got the bollocks to play?’ Apologies but that’s the football term.
“We didn’t play that badly today, Palace didn’t play that well. It was a lack of confidence, and a lack of what I just said. It wasn’t tactics. Palace couldn’t get out of their half in the first 20 minutes.”
Tuchel still eyeing Prem title
Thomas Tuchel is refusing to rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race – despite admitting that it’s almost Mission Impossible.
Chelsea, with a game in hand on both, currently sit 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, but even though he knows it is a long shot, 48-year-old Tuchel is refusing to throw in the towel.
He said: “The problem is they are both also on a run for what feels like a long time. It feels like it’s been three years that they’ve both been on a run. And it feels like our 13 games is not enough.
“We have to be honest, but we will never admit anything before it’s decided. We’ll always push ourselves to the limit.
“We cannot do anything else and we should not get carried away. Two teams took advantage of our problems.
“Full credit to them and they deserve where they are. We need to make sure we catch as many points as possible.”
Abraham creates history in Rome
Tammy Abraham smashed a record set by Gabriel Batistuta as he helped Roma thrash bitter rivals Lazio 3-0.
He has further cemented his status as a fan favourite as his early double helped claim the bragging rights in the Rome derby.
And, incredibly, those two strikes were enough for him to surpass a tally set by the club’s legendary former Argentinian hitman Batistuta.
The icon and Vicenzo Montella both previously held the record for the most goals scored in a debut season for Roma, each registering 21.
Now the 24-year-old has surpassed that tally as he moved on to 23 for the campaign.

Son Heung-min hurt by ball
Spurs forward Son Heung-min was hilariously mocked for going down after a ball was kicked against him by West Ham’s Kurt Zouma.
Having already found the net in the 24th minute, Son was already a thorn in the Hammers side.
However, later on he was ridiculed for feigning injury during a heated incident at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
When Spurs won a corner and the players were getting ready in the box, West Ham defender Kurt Zouma innocuously kicked the ball towards the corner flag.
The ball struck Son, who for some reason decided to collapse to the ground writhing in agony.

Chelsea fans face nervous wait
Chelsea fans are waiting to find out whether or not the club will be allowed to sell tickets for their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
The Blues have been drawn against Patrick Vieira’s side in the last four and are set to face them on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of April.
SunSport understands a decision on Chelsea’s ticket allocation will be made during the international break.
But the decision will be made by the government and not the FA as the sanctions imposed on Chelsea are from Downing Street.
Only 600 Chelsea fans were present for their quarter-final tie away at Middlesbrough on Saturday after the sanctions were placed upon them
Bad week for Kurt Zouma
West Ham defender Kurt Zouma scored an unfortunate own goal against Spurs in their clash on Sunday.
The former Chelsea defender, 27, deflected the ball into his own net from a Harry Kane cross after sliding in the box to stop Son Heung-min from scoring in the London derby.
Zouma’s bad luck came just days after he was charged by the RSPCA for a video showing him kicking his cat across a kitchen floor.
The clip has caused a public outcry since it was revealed by The Sun last month.
Last week, the RSPCA announced they had charged Zouma, who is now set to appear in court on a date that’s yet to be set.
Zouma’s brother Yoan, 23, has also been charged for allegedly filming the incident.

Gareth Southgate makes Eagles swoop
Crystal Palace star Tyrick Mitchell is set to be confirmed as part of England’s squad for the very first time.
The 22-year-old left-back is due to get the call-up from Gareth Southgate within the next 24 hours.
Mitchell has shone for the Eagles this term, and after helping them to reach the FA Cup semi-final by thrashing Everton, his displays will be rewarded on the international level, claims the Mail.
It comes after Chelsea confirmed they are set to pull Reece James out of the England squad due to injury – leaving Luke Shaw as the only specialist full-back.
Mitchell is one of three Palace players to be called up along with Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher, who is on loan from Chelsea.
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CHELSEA beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in their FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday in what was a comfortable game throughout for the Blues. The Blues board were condemned, following an attempt to make the case the game should be played in front of no fans, but Thomas Tuchel 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.”
Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech scores Chelsea’s goals in the clash.
Blues fans will now be waiting to see who their new owner will be, following final bids from prospective buyers on Friday.
Follow ALL of the latest updates and transfer gossip from Stamford Bridge right here…
Crazy scenes at Amsterdam Arena
A fire broke out at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday afternoon prior to Ajax’s game against Feyenoord.
The hugely anticipated Dutch clash saw scary scenes before kick-off when flares were set off at one end of the ground.
When they went out a blaze then ensued, with reports saying that flares caught a banner which fed the flames.
Thick black smoke engulfed a large portion of the fans behind the goal, before the fire was eventually put out.
It is unclear whether or not anybody was injured.

Piers Morgan slams Aubameyang exit
Piers Morgan took aim at Mikel Arteta over the manager’s decision to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the club, after the Gabonese forward scored twice in his first Clasico for Barcelona.
He tweeted: “A free transfer. WE GAVE HIM AWAY”.
“Another brilliant goal by Aubameyang – this time in El Clasico.
“He’s been the world’s most lethal goal machine since joining Barcelona… and with every goal he scores, he makes Arteta look more absurd for giving him away.”
Forest rue bad cup luck
Nottingham Forest were left fuming after being denied a late penalty in their FA Cup defeat to Liverpool.
Ryan Yates burst through on goal in the 85th minute looking to net a dramatic equaliser.
He tried to knock the ball around Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who stretched wide in vain after rushing out from his station.
And a full-throttle charge from both men saw Yates go down in the box.
The Forest star and his teammates wildly protested to the referee that it should be a penalty.
However, VAR entered the chat as Stockley Park officials reviewed the footage.
And replays suggested that although Alisson’s decision had been rash, there was minimal contact between him and Yates, who also appeared to drag his leg out.
United receive midfielder transfer boost
Manchester United and Liverpool are on alert after Monaco reportedly dropped their asking price for midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Previously, reports have put Tchouameni’s price tag at £50million.
Goal, who cite reports in France, provide an update on the star’s future – and it is good news for the potential suitors.
The report claims Monaco will now accept bids worth £42m. The reason for the price drop is not given though.
Fans fume over El Clasico
Football fans were left fuming after tuning into El Clasico to discover BOTH sides had opted for strange kit choices.
Usually, regardless of whether the match is played at the Bernabeu or Nou Camp, traditionally teams would wear their home jerseys.
However, rather than wear their traditional white kit – Los Blancos opted to debut a black ensemble designed by Yohji Yamamoto that’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of Adidas x Y-3 and 120 years of Real Madrid.
While Barcelona went with their yellow away kit with three red stripes across the chest.
Those choices did not sit well with the football purists, who slammed their chosen outfits on Twitter.
One viewer wrote: “Just turned on Real Madrid v Barca – neither team wearing their home kit, game is well and truly gone.”
Beckham shows support for Ukraine
David Beckham’s Instagram account has today been taken over by a doctor in Ukraine in a bid to show the reality of their struggling medical facilities.
The Man United legend issued a heartfelt plea to his followers to support the “incredible people” working in “appalling conditions”.
He praised the head of the regional perinatal centre and child anesthesiologist Iryna before handing over his social media account to her on Sunday.
The dedicated doc detailed her plight caring for newborn babies and their mothers in Kharkiv as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Iryna told how on the first day of the devastating conflict, pregnant women and mothers had to be “evacuated to the basement”.
Frank Lampard fumes at performance
Everton boss Frank Lampard has slammed his stars after they were humiliated by Crystal Palace.
The Toffees were thrashed 4-0 at Selhurst Park on Sunday and missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Afterwards, the irate manager laid into his flops – asking if they had the “b* to play.”
Lampard said after the final whistle: “There is only so much you can keep trying to butter someone up to get confidence.
“You’re playing at the cut-throat end of football; this is the FA Cup quarter-finals. If you haven’t got the confidence to play, you can flip it and say: ‘Have you got the bollocks to play?’ Apologies but that’s the football term.
“We didn’t play that badly today, Palace didn’t play that well. It was a lack of confidence, and a lack of what I just said. It wasn’t tactics. Palace couldn’t get out of their half in the first 20 minutes.”
Tuchel still eyeing Prem title
Thomas Tuchel is refusing to rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race – despite admitting that it’s almost Mission Impossible.
Chelsea, with a game in hand on both, currently sit 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, but even though he knows it is a long shot, 48-year-old Tuchel is refusing to throw in the towel.
He said: “The problem is they are both also on a run for what feels like a long time. It feels like it’s been three years that they’ve both been on a run. And it feels like our 13 games is not enough.
“We have to be honest, but we will never admit anything before it’s decided. We’ll always push ourselves to the limit.
“We cannot do anything else and we should not get carried away. Two teams took advantage of our problems.
“Full credit to them and they deserve where they are. We need to make sure we catch as many points as possible.”
Abraham creates history in Rome
Tammy Abraham smashed a record set by Gabriel Batistuta as he helped Roma thrash bitter rivals Lazio 3-0.
He has further cemented his status as a fan favourite as his early double helped claim the bragging rights in the Rome derby.
And, incredibly, those two strikes were enough for him to surpass a tally set by the club’s legendary former Argentinian hitman Batistuta.
The icon and Vicenzo Montella both previously held the record for the most goals scored in a debut season for Roma, each registering 21.
Now the 24-year-old has surpassed that tally as he moved on to 23 for the campaign.

Son Heung-min hurt by ball
Spurs forward Son Heung-min was hilariously mocked for going down after a ball was kicked against him by West Ham’s Kurt Zouma.
Having already found the net in the 24th minute, Son was already a thorn in the Hammers side.
However, later on he was ridiculed for feigning injury during a heated incident at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
When Spurs won a corner and the players were getting ready in the box, West Ham defender Kurt Zouma innocuously kicked the ball towards the corner flag.
The ball struck Son, who for some reason decided to collapse to the ground writhing in agony.

Chelsea fans face nervous wait
Chelsea fans are waiting to find out whether or not the club will be allowed to sell tickets for their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
The Blues have been drawn against Patrick Vieira’s side in the last four and are set to face them on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of April.
SunSport understands a decision on Chelsea’s ticket allocation will be made during the international break.
But the decision will be made by the government and not the FA as the sanctions imposed on Chelsea are from Downing Street.
Only 600 Chelsea fans were present for their quarter-final tie away at Middlesbrough on Saturday after the sanctions were placed upon them
Bad week for Kurt Zouma
West Ham defender Kurt Zouma scored an unfortunate own goal against Spurs in their clash on Sunday.
The former Chelsea defender, 27, deflected the ball into his own net from a Harry Kane cross after sliding in the box to stop Son Heung-min from scoring in the London derby.
Zouma’s bad luck came just days after he was charged by the RSPCA for a video showing him kicking his cat across a kitchen floor.
The clip has caused a public outcry since it was revealed by The Sun last month.
Last week, the RSPCA announced they had charged Zouma, who is now set to appear in court on a date that’s yet to be set.
Zouma’s brother Yoan, 23, has also been charged for allegedly filming the incident.

Gareth Southgate makes Eagles swoop
Crystal Palace star Tyrick Mitchell is set to be confirmed as part of England’s squad for the very first time.
The 22-year-old left-back is due to get the call-up from Gareth Southgate within the next 24 hours.
Mitchell has shone for the Eagles this term, and after helping them to reach the FA Cup semi-final by thrashing Everton, his displays will be rewarded on the international level, claims the Mail.
It comes after Chelsea confirmed they are set to pull Reece James out of the England squad due to injury – leaving Luke Shaw as the only specialist full-back.
Mitchell is one of three Palace players to be called up along with Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher, who is on loan from Chelsea.
Steven Gerrard eyes Kalvin Phillips
Aston Villa have reportedly emerged as favourites to sign Kalvin Phillips and are willing to pay an ‘enormous’ salary to get him.
The Leeds United and England midfielder, 26, has won a host of admirers over the past two seasons in the Premier League.
Phillips is under contract at Elland Road until 2024.
But that has not stopped Steven Gerrard from identifying him as a ‘key target’ for this summer’s transfer window.
And The Times claims that the Villa are ‘ready to pay £60million’ to get him plus give him huge wages.
West Ham and Newcastle have also been linked with moves for Phillips but Villa are now frontrunners for his signature.
FA Cup semi final draw
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest or Liverpool
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Pogba set for Nou Camp?
Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Paul Pogba from Manchester United.
The midfielder, 29, is set to leave Old Trafford for free at the end of this season when his contract expires.
He was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in October last year, but they were unable to meet his high wage demands at the time.
However, last week the club landed a huge sponsorship deal with Spotify worth around £237million.
The agreement means that their famous home will be renamed to Spotify Camp Nou.
It also revives the fortunes of the Spanish giants – who almost went bankrupt last year due to overspending.
Messi set for PSG stay
Lionel Messi reportedly looks set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season despite talk he could return to Barcelona.
Messi has struggled for goals and was knocked out in the second round of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
However, according to Marca, Messi will stay at PSG beyond the end of this disappointing season.
After emotionally leaving Barca last year, he signed a two-year contract with Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
And he is expected to see out his deal with the club, although there is currently no option of an additional year.
Scouse pride for Wayne Rooney
UFC London stars Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann were congratulated by Wayne Rooney after their stunning wins at the O2 Arena.
The proud Liverpudlians beat Kazula Vargas and Luana Carolina on the main card of the MMA promotion’s long-awaited return to the UK.
And they were congratulated backstage by the Derby County manager, who hugged the pair and said: “Well done.”
The Manchester United legend then revealed he immediately planned on attending the show after finding out they’d feature on the card.
He said: “I went when Crocop got fought years ago. [The] first time I went to a [UFC event].
“The last time I went to a UFC, I obviously saw what you were [both] doing and I thought, ‘I need to come.'”

Tone it down
Ivan Toney appears to have disrespected Brentford again in a viral TikTok video that has sparked outrage.
The striker, 26, took part in a viral series hosted by TikTok star @callmetoksy, who finds people driving expensive cars and asks them their occupation – former Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has previously featured in a video.
Toney and the TikTokker begin by talking about cryptocurrency with Toney suggesting Ethereum is the best coin on the market.
@callmetoksy then asks the Bees star what he does for a job with Toney replying he is a professional footballer.
But when asked who he plays for Toney answered: “Nowhere exciting.”
He then breaks out in laughter as the video ends.
Man United’s stadium plans
Man United’s plans to rebuild Old Trafford could cost £1.5billion – making it the most expensive stadium in England.
Last week it was announced that club chiefs were considering a complete revamp of Old Trafford.
Due to the rising cost of essential materials, the new build will become the most expensive stadium in England – surpassing the £1.1billion home of Tottenham.
It is understood that the Red Devils will cover the extreme costs with loans and bonds.
Poch set for PSG stay
Mauricio Pochettino is set to reject a move to Manchester United and stay at PSG, according to reports.
Man Utd have been considering him as a potential replacement for Ralf Rangnick when he leaves his post as manager at the end of the season.
However, L’Equipe have reported that he is willing to stay in Paris, but only under certain conditions.
Pochettino wants the club to be in the best position to go on and win the Champions League in future.
And for this to happen, he wants more of an input on certain decisions regarding the club’s strategy.
Chelsea show interest in Musonda
Roma are interested in giving Chelsea outcast Charly Musonda a new home at the end of the season, reports claim.
The 25-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Blues don’t plan on offering him a new deal despite him spending a decade at Stamford Bridge.
And according to Goal, ex-Blues boss Jose Mourinho is willing to give the Belgian a shot in Italy with Roma.
Football fans injured at stadium
Five people have been seriously injured after a stand collapsed at a football match in India.
Over 200 people are claimed to have sustained injuries in the shocking incident just before the match kicked off on Saturday evening, according to local Police.
Footage from the scene in the Malappuram district of Kerala shows spectators thrown to the ground as the structure suddenly gives way.
The floodlight also toppled over in the incident, which caused sparks to fly as it hit the floor.
Onlookers in the opposite stand hold their hands to their head in disbelief before rushing to offer help to the injured.
Others who had been in the stand that collapsed ran away from the scene after being caught up in the terrifying ordeal.

Micah Richards on United captaincy
Marcus Rashford has said that Cristiano Ronaldo should become Manchester United captain to give Harry Maguire a break.
 Richards has suggested that he needs help in his role as Man Utd captain.
“It’s not my role to defend people, but the reason I feel so passionately about why the captaincy should be moved on to Ronaldo — for the time being — is based on everything Harry is experiencing on a personal level.”
Owen’s FA Cup prediction
Michael Owen thinks Liverpool will be too strong for Nottingham Forest when they meet in the FA Cup today.
He said on BetVictor: “It’s great to see Forest in the latter stages, it’s been a great run for them.
“They’ve given teams problems at the City Ground, but Liverpool are looking too strong at the moment.
“I can’t think of a more form team in Europe than Liverpool.”
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