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    Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Willian, 36, set to return to football after being left unemployed following Fulham exit

    WILLIAN has joined Olympiacos as a free agent shortly after his exit from Fulham.The ex-Chelsea and Arsenal ace stood out for the Cottagers last season with five goals and two assists in 37 appearances across all competitions.Willian is joining Olympiacos as a free agent after leaving FulhamCredit: GettyFormer Chelsea and Arsenal ace Willian passed his medical at OlympiacosCredit: GettyThe West Londoners’ manager Marco Silva wanted the winger to stay at Craven Cottage and the club offered him a new one-year contract after his previous deal expired in June.The ex-Brazil international, though, decided to move on and will continue with last season’s Europa Conference League winners who will be playing in the Europa League this season.The 36-year-old agreed a deal with Olympiacos and flew to Athens where he passed his medical in Piraeus and put pen to paper.The summer transfer window in Greece runs until September 11 and Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side is eager to add more attacking reinforcement.Read More on FootballOlympiacos missed out on signing Wolves ace Daniel Podence on a permanent deal after his successful loan stint last season.Podence is moving to Saudi Arabia for Al-Shabab after Gary O’Neil’s side landed Carlos Forbs on loan from Ajax.Mendilibar’s side has also been linked with another former Chelsea ace Hakim Ziyech, who is looking to leave Galatasaray.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWillian moved to the Premier League in 2013 when he joined Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala.Most read in FootballThe Brazilian went on to enjoy a glittering seven-year stint at Stamford Bridge where he won two Premier League titles, the 2015 EFL Cup, the 2018 FA Cup and the 2019 Europa League trophy.Angry Chelsea fan slams Todd Boehly’s transfer policy and claims no Blues supporters are happy with his running of the ‘unrecognisable’ clubThe ex-Shakhtar Donetsk star registered a total of 63 goals and 57 assists in 339 appearances with the Blues.Willian then moved to Arsenal but struggled to replicate the same success in north London with only one goal and seven assists in 37 matches before his departure just a year later in 2021.The Gunners’ sporting director Edu Gaspar claimed the forward failed to be a success at the Emirates because he wasn’t “100 per cent comfortable” during a season in which he started well but became “inconsistent”, just like the rest of the team.After a brief spell at Corinthians, Willian returned to London for Fulham where he scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 67 appearances.Fulham offered Willian a new contract and manager Marco Silva wanted him to stayEvery Chelsea signing under Todd BoehlyHere is a list of all Chelsea’s signings under Todd Boehly…Raheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £100mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6m More

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    Uefa confirm major change to European football in huge boost to Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal fans

    UEFA have announced a major change to ticket prices for this season’s Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.The European governing body confirmed a price cap for away fans following their favourite club in various stadium visits around the continent.UEFA have announced a price cap on away tickets for this season’s competitionsCredit: ReutersAway tickets will be reduced further more next season in Uefa competitionsCredit: GettyThe maximum ticket prices for away fans will be €60 (£51m) in the Champions League, €40 (£34) in the Europa League and €20 (£17) in the Conference League.Things will get even better next season as visiting supporters will pay no more than €50 (£42) in the Champions League, €35 (£29) in the Europa League and €20 (£17) in the Conference League.Uefa came to the decision following an agreement with European Clubs’ Association and Football Supporters’ Europe.A statement read: “Starting with the 2024/25 season, the maximum ticket prices for away fans will be €60 in the UEFA Champions League, €40 in the UEFA Europa League and €20 in the UEFA Conference League. Read More on Football”This will be further reduced in the 2025/26 season to a maximum price of €50 in the UEFA Champions League, €35 in the UEFA Europa League and still €20 in the UEFA Conference League.”The news will be welcomed by the Premier League’s representatives for this season’s Uefa competitions.Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa fans are set for four trips in the Champions League.The same goes for Tottenham and Manchester United supporters in the Europa League.Most read in FootballChelsea fans, on the other hand, will be going on three away games in the Conference League.There will be more trips in the knockout stages if the Premier League clubs finish in the top 24 places in their competition.Cristiano Ronaldo reveals bizarre thing that ‘turns him on’ during live Champions League drawIf they finish in the top eight of their respective league phase then they will qualify straight to the Last 16 and avoid the play-off round. More

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    Europa Conference League draw LIVE: Chelsea face horror league phase fixtures, Man Utd to take on Mourinho’s Fenerbahce

    THE Europa Conference League draw is complete and Chelsea fans face a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan in their league phase. Earlier on in the Europa League draw, Man Utd were drawn against Jose Mourinho’s side Fenerbahce.The Red Devils will also play Rangers, as will fellow Premier League side Tottenham. Follow out ALL the latest reaction from the Europa League draw with our live blog below…Chelsea’s opponents confirmedWith the clubs from pot one drawn for the Conference League league phase, Chelsea have learnt their six opponents.Enzo Maresca’s side face trips to Germany, Kazakhstan and Greece.The exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed on Saturday, but here are who the Blues will face this season.Chelsea’s Conference League opponentsGent (H)Heidenheim (A)Astana (A)Shamrock Rovers (H)Panathinaikos (A)Noah (H)Copy linkCopiedChelsea out nextChelsea will face:Gent (H)Heidenheim (A)Astana (A)Shamrock Rovers (H)Panathinaikos (A)Noah (H)Copy linkCopiedChelsea to host GentGent are the first side drawn and will visit Stamford Bridge in the league phase.Chelsea’s remaining five opponents will be revealed when the Blues are drawn.Copy linkCopiedDraw underwayThe Conference League draw is underway, time to discover Chelsea’s opponents.Copy linkCopiedReminder of the potsHere is a reminder of the pots for the Conference League league phase draw.Conference League league phase draw potsPot One:ChelseaCopenhagenGentFiorentinaLASKReal BetisPot Two:Istanbul BasaksehirMoldeLegia WarsawHeidenheimDjurgardensAPOELPot Three:Rapid WienOmoniaHJK HelsinkiVitoria de GuimaraesAstanaOlimpija LjubljanaPot Four:Cercle BruggeShamrock RoversThe New SaintsLuganoHeartsMlada BoleslavPot Five:Petrocub HincestiSt. GallenPanathinaikosTSCBorac Banja LukaJagiellonia BialystokPot Six:CeljeLarneDinamo MinskPafosVikingur ReykjavikNoahCopy linkCopiedDraw set to startThe Conference League draw is about to get underway as Chelsea learnt their league phase fate.Enzo Maresca’s side will play against a club from each of the six pots in today’s draw.Copy linkCopiedConference League potsChelsea will be seeded in pot one for the Conference League draw.Here are the six pots in full:Conference League league phase draw potsPot One:ChelseaCopenhagenGentFiorentinaLASKReal BetisPot Two:Istanbul BasaksehirMoldeLegia WarsawHeidenheimDjurgardensAPOELPot Three:Rapid WienOmoniaHJK HelsinkiVitoria de GuimaraesAstanaOlimpija LjubljanaPot Four:Cercle BruggeShamrock RoversThe New SaintsLuganoHeartsMlada BoleslavPot Five:Petrocub HincestiSt. GallenPanathinaikosTSCBorac Banja LukaJagiellonia BialystokPot Six:CeljeLarneDinamo MinskPafosVikingur ReykjavikNoahCopy linkCopiedConference League drawAttention now turns to the Conference League draw, which is coming up at 1.30pm from the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.Unlike the Champions League and Europa League, clubs will play six matches in the league phase.These will consist of one side from each of the six pots in today’s draw, with Chelsea the sole English representatives.The draw can be streamed live on Uefa.com, watched on TNT Sports 1 or followed here with our live blog.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedDraw completedWith the conclusion of the pot four draw, that ends today’s Europa League league phase ceremony.Fixture dates will be confirmed on Saturday.Here is a look at who Manchester United and Tottenham will face:Europa League league phase opponentsManchester United:Rangers (Home)Porto (Away)PAOK (H)Fenerbahce (A)Bodo/Glimt (H)Viktoria Plzen (A)Twente (H)FCSB (A)Tottenham:Roma (H)Rangers (A)AZ Alkmaar (H)Ferencvaros (A)Qarabag (H)Galatasaray (A)Elfsborg (H)Hoffenheim (A)Copy linkCopiedPot two and three completedThe Europa League league phase is almost completed with the clubs in pot four set to discover their final two opponents.Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers found out all eight of their fixtures during the pot one draw, though.The Conference League draw is coming up following this ceremony.Copy linkCopiedMourinho reunionAs well as facing Rangers, Manchester United will also have a reunion with Jose Mourinho.The Red Devils will travel to Turkey to take on his new club Fenerbahce during the league phase.Copy linkCopiedUnited and Spurs to face RangersWith the fixtures confirmed for pot one in the Europa League league phase, we now know who Manchester United and Tottenham will play.Both sides have been drawn against Rangers for one of their two pot one opponents.Here are their fixtures in full:Europa League league phase opponentsManchester United:Rangers (Home)Porto (Away)PAOK (H)Fenerbahce (A)Bodo/Glimt (H)Viktoria Plzen (A)Twente (H)FCSB (A)Tottenham:Roma (H)Rangers (A)AZ Alkmaar (H)Ferencvaros (A)Qarabag (H)Galatasaray (A)Elfsborg (H)Hoffenheim (A)Copy linkCopiedFinally, AjaxThe last side from pot one to be drawn, Ajax will play:Lazio (h)Slavia Prague (a)Maccabi Tel-Aviv (h)Real Sociedad (a)Galatasaray (h)Qarabag (a)Besiktas (h)RFS (a)Copy linkCopiedLazio next drawnLazio are the penultimate side to learn their fixtures, here they are:Porto (h)Ajax (a)Real Sociedad (h)Braga (a)Ludogorets (h)Dynamo Kyiv (a)Nice (h)Twente (a)Copy linkCopiedSpurs’ opponentsNext out the hat is Spurs and here are their opponents:Roma (h)Rangers (a)AZ Alkmaar (h)Ferncvaros (a)Qarabag (h)Galatasaray (a)Elfsborg (h)Hoffenheim (a)Copy linkCopiedUnited drawnWe already know their pot one opponents, but here is the complete list:Rangers (h)Porto (a)PAOK (h)Fenerbahce (a)Bodo/Glimt (h)Viktoria Plzen (a)Twente (h)FCSB (a)Copy linkCopiedSlavia Prague latest team drawnThe Czech side will meet:Ajax (h)Frankfurt (a)Fenerbahce (h)PAOK (a)Malmo (h)Ludogorets (a)Anderlecht (h)Athletic Bilbao (a)Copy linkCopiedPorto opponentsPorto are next to be drawn and they will play:Manchester United (h)Lazio (a)Olympiacos (h)Maccabi Tel-Aviv (a)Midtjylland (h)Bodo/Glimt (a)Hoffenheim (h)Anderlecht (a)Copy linkCopiedFrankfurt third drawnFrankfurt will take on:Slavis Prague (h)Roma (a)Ferencvaros (h)Lyon (a)Viktoria Plzen (h)Midtjylland (a)RFS (h)Besiktas (a)Copy linkCopiedRoma out nextRoma are the second team drawn, they will play:Frankfurt (h)Tottenham (a)Braga (h)AZ Alkmaar (a)Dynamo Kyiv (h)Union SG (a)Athletic Bilbao (h)Elfsborg (a)Copy linkCopiedRangers’ opponentsRangers will play:Tottenham (h)Manchester United (a)Lyon (h)Olympiacos (a)Union SG (h)Malmo (a)FCSB (h)Nice (a)Copy linkCopiedDraw underwayHere we go, the first team drawn from pot one are Rangers.Copy linkCopiedDraw potsHere is a reminder of the pots for today’s Europa League league phase draw.Europa League league phase draw potsPot One:RomaManchester UnitedPortoAjaxRangersFrankfurtLazioTottenhamSlavia PraguePot Two:Real SociedadAZ AlkmaarBragaOlympiacosLyonPAOKFenerbahceMaccabi Tel AvivFerencvarosPot Three:QarabagGalatasarayViktoria PlzenBodo/GlimtUnion Saint-GilloiseDynamo KyivLudogoretsMidtjyllandMalmoPot Four:Athletic BilbaoHoffenheimNiceAnderlechtTwenteBesiktasFCSBRFSElfsborgCopy linkCopiedDraw about to startThe time has come for this season’s Europa League league phase draw, with the ceremony about to get underway in Monaco.Both Manchester United and Tottenham are in pot one and will be amongst the first clubs to discover their eight fixtures.Clubs will play two clubs from each pot, one at home and one away.Copy linkCopiedFinal venueThe final of this season’s Europa League will be held at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.Opened in 2013, the stadium has a capacity of 53,331.It is also the home of Athletic Bilbao, who are competing in the competition this term.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopied More

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    Cole Palmer ‘becomes instant meme’ with coldest response yet to Servette fans’ fireworks show against Chelsea

    COLE PALMER’S ice cool reaction to Servette fans’ in-game firework show has gone viral.The Blues qualified for the Europa Conference League 3-2 on aggregate despite losing 2-1 to the Swiss side in the second leg.Cole Palmer’s reaction to the fireworks show has gone viralServette ultras let off fireworks inside the groundCredit: EPAWith just a few minutes to go until the final whistle, play was temporarily suspended as Servette ultras caused gave the match a deafening crescendo.Their fans positioned behind Chelsea stopper Filip Jorgensen’s goal let off flares and fireworks inside the ground.Players from both teams stood and watched from the other side of the pitch – but it was the reaction of Palmer that stunned fans.The England star looked as cool as a cucumber, sitting on the ball at the side of the pitch to watch Servette’s Guy Fawkes-inspired display.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSupporters loved it, with one saying: “Palmer is just too funny.”Another added: “This is going to become an instant meme.”A third commented: “Palmer watching the fireworks was so cute actually like awww.”More reacted: “Best part of the match.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSChelsea fans were able to watch the fireworks and the match after a technical problem saw the club’s £4.99 stream ditched.An error message occurred for supporters tuning in and eventually they decide to broadcast the match for free. Mykhailo Mudryk reveals his cheat meal and best Chelsea pals in Q&A Players signed under Boehly at ChelseaRaheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £115mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6mMike Penders – £17m More

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    Chelsea player ratings: Nkunku shows he’s worth the wait but Dewsbury-Hall struggles as Maresca’s Blues avoid shock exit

    CHELSEA made it through to the group stage of the Europa Conference League by the skin of their teeth.The Blues went into the second leg of their qualifier for Europe’s tertiary club competition leading Swiss side FC Servette 2-0 on aggregate.Chelsea travelled to Switzerland for the second leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier with ServetteCredit: APChristopher Nkunku broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 14th minuteCredit: GettyEnzo Crivelli fired Servette into a 2-1 leadCredit: EPAChristopher Nkunku appeared to kill the tie from the penalty spot 14 minutes into the match.But Jeremy Guilleme’s neat finish in the 32nd minute breathed new life into Servette’s bid to overturn the first-leg deficit.And Enzo Crivelli set up a nervy finish in the 72nd minute with a stunning header that fired them into a 2-1 lead.But the Blues held firm to avoid conceding a fatal third goal that would’ve handed them an embarrassing exit.READ MORE CHELSEA NEWSAnd SunSport is on hand to rate and slate the performances of Enzo Maresca’s troops.Filip Jorgensen – 6/10Had very little to do other than pick the ball out of the net when Guilleme and Crivelli struck. Made a couple of routine saves either side of half-time and commanded his box well during the few set pieces he had to deal with.Axel Disasi – 5Was solid for large portions of the match but allowed Dereck Kutesa to breeze past him too easily in the build-up to Guilleme’s goal.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSTosin Adarabiyo – 6A steady Eddie when called upon. Put himself about when needed and showcased great positional awareness throughout the match.Noni Madueke says ‘I’m sure Wolverhampton is a lovely town’ after Chelsea star’s accidental X-rated postBenoit Badiashile – 6Looked a more reassured figure and showcased better positional awareness than he has done since his return from injury.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 5A quiet night at the office as he struggled to stamp any authority on the game – despite the Blues’ early dominance of the midfield.Renato Veiga – 6Anchored the midfield well and was positionally sound. It’s early days yet, but he looks to be a solid addition to the squad.Enzo Fernandez – 6Forced a fine save from the Servette keeper early in the first half with a long-range drive. But he was also guilty of allowing Kutesa to ghost past him in the build-up to Servette’s first goal.Enzo Fernandez was as steady as everCredit: GettyNoni Madueke – 6Got himself in dangerous positions on numerous occasions but let himself down with poor first touches.Christopher Nkunku – 8Was a constant threat from the outset and made several intelligent runs in behind.Made no mistake from the penalty spot but should’ve doubled his and Chelsea’s haul in the 34th minute.Christopher Nkunku made no mistake from the penalty spotCredit: ReutersMykhailo Mudryk – 6Won the first-half penalty by ghosting in on the defender’s blindside as the ball became loose in the box. But other than that, and an average finish after a neat breakaway in the 52nd minute, he was an anonymous figure.Marc Guiu – 5Was seldom on the ball but wasn’t wasteful with possession when he had it. In fairness to the teenager, he wasn’t given the best service.Mykhailo Mudryk was anonymous for large portions of the matchCredit: GettySubsNicolas Jackson – 6 Thought he’d put the Blues back on level terms not long after Crivelli’s strike but was – as he’s so often been during his Chelsea career – offside.Moises Caicedo – 6 Was brought on to sure up the midfield but offered very little in terms of the defensive shield Maresca wanted him to be.Tyrique George – 6 The teen failed to make any sort of impact in the time given to him by his manager. But in his defence, the Blues were very much on the ropes when he came on in the second half.READ MORE SUN STORIES Cole Palmer – 6 Oozed quality when he came on late in the second half. Should have levelled the scores in the 82nd minute but somehow hit the crossbar when it looked easier to score.Players signed under Boehly at ChelseaRaheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £115mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6mMike Penders – £17m More

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    Servette 2 Chelsea 1 (agg 2-3): Blues limp into Conference League as they cling on to pitiful loss to Swiss minnows

    CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU booked Chelsea’s place in the poor man’s Champions League from a billionaire’s playground.The Frenchman’s first-half penalty was enough to see off a stubborn fightback from Swiss opposition to make it into the Conference League proper.Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring in the clashCredit: ReutersHe powered a strike home from the spotCredit: GettyJeremy Guillemenot levelled the game for ServetteCredit: APBut Chelsea will need to up their game from a distinctly two bob performance if their latest bid to rejoin Europe’s elite isn’t done for by Christmas.Watching co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali and sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart will have noted the stuttering football from the two-times Champions League winners.These three big-spenders will have felt right at home in stylish Switzerland where it can set you back £25 for a rum and coke. And with today being transfer deadline day expect last-minute business being done to throw money at the problem.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLMaresca left a smattering of his big stars out, with Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, Nicolas Jackson and Moises Caicedo on the bench thinking it was job done.Without them Nkunku’s early goal provided the single goal cushion to see them through from an unconvincing display, when in reality it should have been the patchy pitch providing the toughest obstacle to a comprehensive away win.The penalty should have been the catalyst for Maresca’s fledglings to run riot and enjoy getting to know each other.Left back Renato Veiga played Mykhailo Mudryk through into the box and the Ukrainian was upended by Keigo Tsunemoto for a stonewall spot kick.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSNkunku slotted home – just like he did in the first leg at Stamford Bridge last week – making it 3-0 on aggregate.But the gameplan took a wobbly turn on 32 minutes when Servette equalised and turned the screw a little on Chelsea’s hopes of a chilled performance in humid conditions.Conference League clash suspended as police evacuate entire away stand after shameful scenesFrom attack to conceding took barely 20 seconds when a Blues attack crumbled.Servette passed their way through a non-existent midfield with Dereck Kutesa bursting through before slipping the ball right for forward Jeremy Guillemenot to drill a shot under Filip Jorgensen before the keeper could react.Nine minutes later, Chelsea were on the back foot again when dangerous Kutesa charged free down the left, causing the Premier League side more anxious moments.Mudryk was again hit and miss and mainly miss, spooning one shot wildly over the bar from the edge of the box.New England recruit Noni Madueke combined well with Nkunku in parts and they were by far Chelsea’s most dangerous pairing with rookie striker Marc Guiu looking lost.Madueke came off as part of a triple substitution at 63 minutes, with Fernandez and Guiu joining him.As part of the triple swap, highly-rated teenage winger Tyrick George was handed his first-team debut in place of Madueke.The wobbly Blues then cracked again with 18 minutes left when Enzo Crivelli squeezed between Tosin and Benoit Badiashile to head in from six yards.By the final whistle, all of Maresca’s big guns were on and England star Palmer rattled the bar with seven minutes to go.READ MORE SUN STORIESPlay was halted with a minute to go when hundreds of noisy fireworks were fired from the home end in a deafening crescendo.Chelsea’s underwhelming players deserved a rocket from Maresca in the dressing room after the final whistle for just scraping through.Enzo Crivelli made it nervy as he put Servette ahead on the nightCredit: EPAChelsea were able to hang on to win on aggregateCredit: EPAThe Blues will now be in to the Conference League properCredit: Reuters More

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    Conference League clash suspended as police evacuate entire away stand after shameful scenes

    POLICE have evacuated away yobs after a Conference League clash was suspended.The tie between NK Olimpija Ljubljana and HNK Rijeka was brought to a halt after flares were thrown into the home stands.A Conference League clash was suspendedCredit: xFlares were thrown into one of the standsCredit: xThe Rijeka hooligans were escorted out by policeCredit: xThe match was stopped in the 65th minute, and the players were taken into the dressing rooms.Reports online have claimed that the Rijeka hooligans started to fight with police who were confronting them.The yobs were then escorted out of the Stožice Stadium in Slovenia.The suspension of the match lasted 26 minutes and was restarted with the away stand empty of fans.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSFans slammed the actions of the away hooligans as they reacted on social media.One posted: “Just call off the game.”A second wrote: “This is the biggest disaster in Croatian football since I can remember. Shame.”A third commented: “Croatia should be banned from football.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSA fourth said: “Those idiots have acted shamefully.”Another added: “I hope those supporters that were near the flares are okay.”The Sun’s Shaun Custis and Martin Lipton break down the new changes for the UEFA Champions League format for 2024/25The yobs were slammed by fans onlineThe match was suspended for nearly half an hourThe incident did little to dampen the joy of the Olimpija supporters.Their team has romped into a 5-0 lead inside the first half with the score 6-1 on aggregate.Raul Florucz opened the scoring in the 2nd minute before goals from Thalisson Charles Alves Moreira (x2), Dino Kojic and Perdo Lucas put the result to bed.Elsewhere in the competition, Chelsea took on Swiss side Servette in the second leg of their play-off tie.The Blues were forced to stream the match for free for their supporters due to a website error.New Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season. More

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    Chelsea forced to stream Servette clash for FREE as website error leaves fans unable to buy £4.99 broadcast

    CHELSEA were forced into streaming their clash against Servette for free due to an error after initially charging £4.99The Blues face the Swiss side in the Europa Conference League play-off round tonight.Chelsea fans were greeted by an error messageThe club eventually performed a U-turn and streamed the game for freeCredit: GettyWith the game not live on TV, supporters tuned in to the club’s stream and paid £4.99 for access. But fans were left unable to watch the match as the website displayed an error message.The technical problem saw fans stuck on a screen that said: “Stream temporarily unavailable.”Others supporters were left unable to purchase the match. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Chelsea faithful raged: “Brought the stream earlier now says I don’t have it. Tried to log out to log back in and now it won’t even let me do that.”Another added: “Chelsea won’t let me buy the stream, it’s almost like they don’t want me spending £4.99.”More raged: “Would love to watch on the official Chelsea app and website but we physical cannot. Your s*** isn’t working.”Eventually, the club performed a U-turn on their decision to charge for the game and streamed it to supporters for free.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSPeople who paid are now expected to be refunded.Chelsea came into the tie 2-0 up after the first leg at Stamford Bridge. A win will see the Blues qualify for the group stages of the Conference League.SunSport’s Latest Transfer HeadlinesPlayers signed under Boehly at ChelseaRaheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £115mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6mMike Penders – £17m More