Petr Cech believes that Arsenal are ready to relish the high stakes in Wednesday’s Europa League final against his former club Chelsea. The Arsenal goalkeeper will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career this summer. The Gunners must beat Chelsea in Baku to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which ramps up the pressure on Cech and company. “It will sound strange, but I think generally at Arsenal there is not enough pressure,” Cech told Standard Sport. “(Former Arsenal manager) Arsene (Wenger) is a real gentleman. As much as he hates losing, he stays a gentleman. “If you lose, you win, you lose, youRead More →

Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery both expressed their frustration at the travel issues that mean so few Chelsea and Arsenal fans have been able to make it to Azerbaijan for the Europa League final. The Premier League sides are separated by just six miles in London, yet those wanting to watch their side compete for continental glory have had to make a nearly 5,000-mile round trip to Baku. Offered a mere 6,000 tickets per club, neither have managed to get anywhere near selling out due to the fact it takes too long or is too costly to head east to Azerbaijan for the match. ThoseRead More →

Eden Hazard is so talented he often ends up “bored” in Chelsea training, according to Maurizio Sarri. Hazard is hunting a fairy tale Chelsea farewell when the Blues face Arsenal in Wednesday’s Europa League final in Baku. The Belgium talisman fired home the winning penalty in the semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt with his last act at Stamford Bridge. And now the 28-year-old wants to sign off in style by swiping European silverware before completing his expected £100million summer transfer to Real Madrid. “It’s a pleasure during the match; sometimes during the week it’s a problem but during the match it’s a pleasure of course,” saidRead More →

The Frenchman has a knee issue. Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is 50-50 to take on Arsenal in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, head coach Maurizio Sarri has revealed. The France international has missed his side’s last two matches with a knee injury and may be unable to play in Baku. Sarri said: “Very little problem with his knee. The problem is the timing. We are trying. At the moment we don’t know. We will try until the last moment.” Sarri is up first and reports that @nglkante is 50/50 to play in tomorrow’s final. ‘He had a little problem in his knee. It’sRead More →

The German midfielder declares it “a great honour” to sign a new contract with the newly-promoted club. Norwich midfielder Marco Stiepermann has signed a new contract with the newly-promoted club. The 28-year-old German, who had 12 months left on his current deal, has extended his stay by another two years, Norwich have announced. “Norwich City are delighted to announce that Marco Stiepermann has signed a new contract with the club, extending his stay at Carrow Road until June 2022,” the Canaries said on their official website. Stiepermann joined the club from Bochum in the summer of  2017 and has made over 70 appearances, featuring in 46Read More →

Barcelona reportedly place Brazilian attacker Malcom on the transfer list amid links with Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona have reportedly placed Brazilian attacker Malcom on the transfer list. The 22-year-old only joined Barca from Bordeaux last summer but struggled during the 2018-19 campaign, scoring just four times in 24 appearances for the Spanish champions in all competitions. According to Sport, Malcom has been placed on the transfer list by the Catalan giants and the Premier League is his most likely destination in this summer’s transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made contact with Barca to discuss a move for the attacker, who struck just once during hisRead More →

Swansea City are ‘resigned’ to losing Welsh attacker Daniel James to Manchester United ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, according to a report. Swansea City are reportedly ‘resigned’ to losing Daniel James to Manchester United this summer. James, 21, impressed for Swansea during the 2018-19 campaign, contributing five goals and 10 assists in 38 appearances in all competitions for the Welsh outfit. United have been strongly linked with the Welshman over the last few weeks and according to the Manchester Evening News, Swansea have accepted that they will have to sell James this summer. The report claims that the Red Devils will pay £15m for theRead More →

Maurizio Sarri will move for Real Madrid attacker Isco once he is appointed Juventus boss, according to a report. Maurizio Sarri will reportedly target a move for Real Madrid attacker Isco once he is appointed Juventus boss. Sarri is still in charge of Chelsea but the Italian has emerged as the favourite to replace Massimiliano Allegri as head coach of the Italian champions ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. According to Tuttosport, Sarri’s first task upon arriving in Turin will be to move for Isco, who only started 11 La Liga matches during the 2018-19 campaign after struggling for form. The 27-year-old, who could be availableRead More →

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet emerges as a transfer target for Bournemouth, according to a report. Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Bournemouth. Mignolet, 31, has only made two appearances for Liverpool during the 2018-19 campaign, having fallen behind Alisson Becker in the pecking order at Anfield. The Belgium international is widely expected to move on in this summer’s transfer window, with a number of clubs believed to be monitoring proceedings. According to The Sun, Bournemouth are very much in the race for the experienced stopper and could bring him to the Vitality Stadium after the 2019 Champions League final.Read More →

Declan Rice can see similarities between England’s burgeoning squad and that of their Nations League Finals opponents Holland. England face Ronald Koeman’s side in a semi-final clash in Guimaraes a week on Thursday and the 20-year-old West Ham midfielder is anticipating an exciting game, with Holland expected to feature youngsters such as Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong alongside the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Georginio Wijnaldum. Having switched allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, Rice made his England debut in a Euro 2020 qualifier with Czech Republic in March before earning his first start against Montenegro three days later. Declan Rice saysRead More →

Despite their 3-2 win at SPAL on Sunday night, AC Milan finished up a point short of Champions League football. That point could be huge for the future of the club, while it has cost Gennaro Gattuso his job. The man himself claimed he’d be sacked if he couldn’t make the top four, so it’s hardly a surprise that he won’t get another campaign with the Rossoneri. However, this is more turnover for Milan. They’ve lacked consistency for a while now, with another major change coming up. With FFP laws shackling them and without the income from the Champions League, it’ll be a tough seasonRead More →

The defender confirmed on social media that he was leaving Paisley. Anton Ferdinand has said his farewells to St Mirren after helping the club escape relegation. The defender confirmed on social media that he was leaving Paisley, two days after coming off the bench during the second leg of their Ladbrokes Premiership play-off final win over Dundee United. The 34-year-old – who made 19 appearances after joining in September – had admitted on Sunday that he had no idea whether his future lay with the club. But he has now said goodbye on Instagram, thanking fans and employees of the club and telling his team-mates: “IRead More →

Ralph was the club’s player of the year and he remains under contract but he looks set to depart. The new Dundee manager could be looking for a new left-back after Nathan Ralph signalled his intention to leave the relegated club. Jim Goodwin is the favourite to take charge following reports Dundee had narrowed their choices down to the Alloa boss and under-18s coach James McPake, who stepped in as caretaker after Jim McIntyre was sacked. Ralph was the club’s player of the year and he remains under contract but he looks set to depart. A club statement read: “The club have been informed byRead More →

Steve Clarke insisted his Kilmarnock quartet fully deserved their place in his first Scotland squad after he handed first call-ups to Eamonn Brophy and Greg Taylor. Taylor joins fellow full-back Stephen O’Donnell and uncapped centre-back Stephen Findlay in the squad for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Cyprus and Belgium, while Brophy is included in the absence of several experienced strikers. Clarke led Kilmarnock to third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership 24 hours before taking the Scotland job and he backed the Rugby Park contingent to justify his faith. The 55-year-old said: “People will look at it and probably think, ‘he’s just picking players fromRead More →

Hearts will face former player and head coach Robbie Neilson‘s Dundee United side in the Betfred Cup. The Tynecastle encounter looks the highlight of the group stage, which takes place over three weekends and two midweeks from July 13-28. United will face an interesting test of their close-season transfer activity as Neilson looks to build a team capable of getting promotion at the fourth time of asking. East Fife, Stenhousemuir and Cowdenbeath complete Group A. Hibernian will face four part-time teams in Alloa, Stirling, Elgin and Ladbrokes League One champions Arbroath. Motherwell take on familiar opposition in the shape of three teams they have playedRead More →

Villas-Boas had been away from football management since leaving Shanghai SIPG in 2017. Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is the new head coach of Marseille. The 41-year-old, who spent eight months in charge of the Blues before embarking on a season-and-a-half spell with Spurs, left Chinese club Shanghai SIPG in November 2017. At Marseille he succeeds Rudi Garcia, on his way out of the Stade Velodrome after guiding OM to a fifth-placed finish in the recently concluded Ligue 1 campaign. Marseille announced Villas-Boas’ appointment on Tuesday with a tweet reading: “Our new era has begun.” The club’s American owner Frank McCourt told om.net:Read More →

Arsenal and Chelsea will contest an all-English Europa League final in Azerbaijan’s capital city Baku on Wednesday. It is the first time two English sides will meet in the tournament’s showpiece since Tottenham beat Wolves over two legs in 1972 when the competition was known as the UEFA Cup. Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at the main talking points. Safety first for no-go Mkhitaryan Having considered all the current options, we had to take the tough decision for me not to travel with the squad to the #UEL Final against #Chelsea […] pic.twitter.com/3CPrTvLquy — Henrikh Mkhitaryan (@HenrikhMkh) May 21, 2019 Arsenal midfielder HenrikhRead More →

Arsenal‘s route to the Europa League final in Baku included an earlier trip to the Azerbaijani capital as well as a relocated fixture in Ukraine and some tricky knockout ties. Here, Press Association Sport looks at their progress to Wednesday’s meeting with London rivals Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium. Arsenal 4 Vorskla Poltava 2 (Europa League Group stage, September 20, 2018) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Danny Welbeck both scored as Arsenal eased to victory over Vorskla (Nick Potts/PA) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored in either half for a much-changed Arsenal side in Unai Emery’s first European game as Gunners head coach. Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil also netted.Read More →

Chelsea are preparing to face Arsenal in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Here, Press Association Sport looks at their route to the Baku showdown. PAOK Salonika 0 Chelsea 1 (Europa League group stage, September 20, 2018) That’s the way to start the group! ? An important three points in Greece! #PAOKvCFC pic.twitter.com/Api0haZ6ff — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 20, 2018 Willian struck early from a Ross Barkley lay-off to get Chelsea’s campaign in Group L off to a winning start in Greece. Chelsea 1 MOL Vidi 0 (Europa League group stage, October 4, 2018) Alvaro Morata was the match-winner against Vidi (Nigel French/PA) Alvaro MorataRead More →

Tall tales of car journeys from London to Baku via Baghdad were in the air as Azerbaijan’s capital geared up to host the Europa League final. Supporters milled around Baku’s fan park on the picturesque shores of the Caspian Sea, with fans of both clubs flocking in from all around the globe. A lack of direct flights from the UK left many Chelsea and Arsenal supporters to give up the ghost, but those hardy souls who did travel had to dig deep for both money and time. Jeffrey, we salute you ? A journey that started on Friday evening… and ended on Sunday morning ???????Read More →