GET UP TO DATE NEWS OF OUR DARLIN CHELSEA FC

First topic message reminder :

Ramires has been recalled to the Brazil squad by national team coach Mano Menezes.

The 25-year-old midfielder joins new signing Oscar and David Luiz in the squad that faces Sweden on August 15.

Ramires enjoyed a fine end to last season, scoring the opening goal in the FA Cup Final just weeks after his incredible chip had kick-started our comeback against Barcelona in the Champions Leage semi-final.

The former Benfica and Cruzeiro man has not played for Brazil since the 2011 Copa America a year ago.

Porto reject €50M offer for Chelsea target Hulk


Porto have rejected a bumper offer from Zenit St Petersburg for striker Hulk.

Chelsea are also chasing the Brazil international, but will have to go higher than the €50 million Zenit tabled.

"It was Porto who rejected an offer of €50m for Hulk from Zenit," declared Porto president Nuno Pinto da Costa. "I heard that the offer was not authorized by Zenit, but the truth is that two club representatives were present in Oporto with that offer."

Chelsea striker Torres keen on Atletico Madrid return



Chelsea striker Fernando Torres admits he can see himself returning to former club Atletico Madrid.

Torres left open the possibility of returning to Atletico to end his career — but only after realising his dreams with Chelsea.

He said: “Right now I can’t see my return — maybe when I’ve achieved at Chelsea what I want to do. If I am still sufficiently able to compete, I would return. But only if I am in good condition.

“I would go to fulfil the objectives of the club, whatever they would be — even if it was to not play in Europe.”

Liverpool waiting for Chelsea green light over Sturridge


Danny Sturridge is facing the exit door at Chelsea.

The Daily Star says Chelsea’s Sturridge has been linked with a move to Liverpool and has played just 22 minutes against Reading.

If Chelsea land Andre Schurrle of Bayer Leverkusen, it is likely Sturridge will be allowed to leave.

THE TWEET SPOT: ASHLEY COLE
Posted on: Thu 30 Aug 2012

Ashley Cole believes Ryan Bertrand can be a leading light in the Chelsea side for years to come.

The England defender, who completed a Twitter Q&A session with supporters on Wednesday, was asked by Chelsea fan @JoshNixon9 how good he believes Bertrand can be, having broken into the first team this season after lifting the Champions League trophy back in May.

Cole, who has played behind the youngster in our first few games of this campaign, was full of praise.

'He has been one of our best players so far this season every time he has played and I hope in a few years he will be in the Chelsea first team and hopefully earning a place in the England team on a regular basis,' Cole said of the 23-year-old. 'Being here he has learned a lot and is playing with better players than when he was on loan, so we should expect him to be in and around the team and doing well.'

The 31-year-old also said, in response to @thakkerjay, that he has thought about a management career after he retires, but is also aware that he must spend two years following his retirement completing his coaching badges before he can seriously consider the move.

@RPChelsea asked who Cole's best friends at the club were, and he picked two younger faces with whom he shares time away from the club. 'I'll say Daniel Sturridge, Ryan Bertrand. We live close together and chill out a lot away from football,' he tweeted.

Finally, Cole also picked out the late David Rocastle, a winger at Chelsea and his first club Arsenal, as his football idol growing up.

'David Rocastle. He was a winger like I was and took time to chat when I met him as a kid. I miss him,' the left-back responded to @cfc_craig.

Chelsea see Schurrle as Sturridge replacement


Chelsea are convinced they can prise Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen before tomorrow's transfer deadline.
The London Evening Standard says the Blues have already made a £16m bid for the German international, which was turned down by Leverkusen.

Chelsea are looking to strengthen their attack and provide back-up to Fernando Torres. Blues forward Daniel Sturridge has been linked with a move to Liverpool, although that may depend on whether the Reds can sell Andy Carroll.

Leverkusen insist Schürrle is not for sale, but Chelsea are hopeful they can sign the striker before Friday's transfer deadline.
Read more at http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/chelsea-see-schurrle-sturridge-replacement-3489111#fOr0eGbPdg8QgL3A.99

England boss Hodgson recalls Chelsea skipper Terry
Read more at http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/england-boss-hodgson-recalls-chelsea-skipper-terry-3489131#ih6SQFimVbw15zcD.99




England coach Roy Hodgson will recall Chelsea skipper John Terry today.

The former skipper has won his race to be fit for the World Cup clashes with Moldova and Ukraine.

JT is back in full training at Chelsea after a neck injury KO’d him last week.

England boss Roy Hodgson vowed to pick Terry if he is available — even though he is awaiting a personal hearing at the FA over his bust-up with Anton Ferdinand.
Read more at http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/england-boss-hodgson-recalls-chelsea-skipper-terry-3489131#ih6SQFimVbw15zcD.99

CAPITAL ONE CUP DRAW DAY
Posted on: Thu 30 Aug 2012

There two draws in one day today (Thursday) with our opponents in the third round of the Capital One Cup to be decided this evening, following on from the Champions League draw.

The Capital One Cup is the new name for the League Cup which was called the Carling Cup during the past nine seasons, and the third round is the stage at which the top-flight teams involved in European competition enter.

The draw will take place shortly after the Northampton Town v Wolves second round game which kicks-off at 7.45pm

Third round games will take place in the week commencing 24 September.

THURSDAY THOUGHTS:

Now we've all been a little naughty haven't we? Like children who get far too over-excited on Christmas morning, we've gone and done the football equivalent of opening all our presents too quickly and played our first three matches all in one week.

Don't get me wrong, it was a very nice haul of gifts, each present containing three points and a nice scattering of goals. It's also a jolly great thing to be three points clear already. But, every year growing up, I would be that child - the one who tore open all his presents in about 10 seconds then sat and watched, full of envy, as my brother savoured his gift load 'til the late afternoon.

We've now got to sit back and do the same as fans this weekend, as all the other Premier League children get to open one more gift before that long, slightly tedious international break. Of course, we can still all relish in the fact that they might not be opening up three points. It would be fabulous if United and City were to both open their gifts and find a pair of socks or a kitchen utensil (zero points and a draw respectively).

We do of course have that bonus gift from a great aunt we'd forgotten about with the Super Cup match on Friday night, but again that will be over long before the first ball is kicked on Saturday and we'll have played with that for hours and it'll be all grubby and boring like my Micro Machine mini city in a van I got in December '92.

Anyway, I'm going to stop talking about Christmas now as it's August and it feels weird. The point is, we're going to have to find a way to keep ourselves occupied over the next two weeks until our next league fixture on the 15th September against QPR.

Sure, we've got the transfer window excitement, although quite how Chelsea can excite us any more than they have done already with Oscar, Marin, Hazard, Moses and that very good right-back from Spain who's name has never been written down the same twice (but is Cesar Azpilicueta), I don't know.

We also have the aforementioned international break to keep us occupied where, as well as cheering on England against Moldova and Ukraine (both of whom I'm pretty sure England are playing for the 17th time in the last two years) we can watch, behind the sofa, through squinted eyes and parted hands, the news come in from all the other matches around the world, hoping our boys have scored five goals each in the first 25 minutes then been taken off and put in a box full of duvets, feathers and bubble wrap to keep them unscathed in transit, and potpourri, just to keep them smelling fresh. To be honest, if Cech manages five goals in the opening 25 minutes then something is very wrong with the set-up of the opposing team.

I am never a fan of international breaks, especially when they come so early in the season. It's like going to see Coldplay performing live and the band coming on to the stage, playing three songs then individually swanning off to Kazakhstan, Belarus and the Faroe Islands for a couple of hours before popping back to play 'Clocks'. It's worse of course when it's just for a friendly match and I suppose I should be more understanding for these World Cup qualifiers, but I'd still rather these things happen well away from the domestic season.

I have been trying to get a petition started for the last four years to create a new month between July and August for precisely this purpose. It's called Extrember and it gives everyone that extra four weeks we'd need to ensure that qualifying rounds for international tournaments and the tournaments themselves have taken place without disturbing our domestic season. It's also means you can avoid the school holiday demand in August if you want to go away with the kids, and it has four bank holidays already built in. It's a pretty awesome month.

I'm still dotting the i's and crossing the t's at present and I'm also involved in a really long-winded battle with calendar manufacturers, trying to persuade them to get onboard, so for the time being we'll have to make do with the current system. I reckon the players would be well up for it though.

Anyway, whatever you choose to do to entertain yourselves over the next couple of weeks, keep your fingers crossed that our lads return from international duty fit and ready to pick up where they left off. Oh, and tell your friends about it to get Extrember trending on Twitter, that's exactly the kind of exposure we need.

Share


12






Email

DI MATTEO: SUFFERING FOR THE SUPER CUP
Posted on: Thu 30 Aug 2012

Roberto Di Matteo is hoping he can achieve as a manager what he did as a player in 1998, and win the Uefa Super Cup for Chelsea.

The former midfielder was in the side 14 years ago when Gustavo Poyet struck the only goal against Real Madrid in the Stade Louis II, and tomorrow we meet their city neighbours Atletico thanks to our Champions League victory in Munich in May.

'The consequence of that night is why we're here and we shouldn't forget how hard it was to be here,' the Italian said. 'It was a very difficult road and took a lot of suffering to be able to win it and be able to play this game and be involved in the European Super Cup. I feel very strongly about it and hopefully we can win the game tomorrow.'

Facing us will be a team Di Matteo holds in the highest regard, which lifted the Europa League last season and has begun its 2012/13 campaign impressively, most recently winning 4-0 against Athletic Bilbao thanks to a Falcao hat-trick and a strike from former Chelsea midfielder Tiago.

'I have seen Falcao a lot, he is a superb player from watching the last couple of seasons. He is one of the best strikers in the world and I think he will be a big threat for us tomorrow night,' Di Matteo said.

'Atletico Madrid is a very good team - they won the Europa League last season and started off well again. I watched their games and they have a lot of quality with a good coach in Diego Simeone.'

Despite the Spaniards' class, we have plenty of our own, and Di Matteo was asked about Fernando Torres, an Atletico fan, and his early season form which has already yielded three goals. It was suggested that Torres has found form thanks to the departure of Didier Drogba, but the manager disagrees.

'I believe competition is very important for professional sportsmen. I don't think the way Fernando has started is because Drogba is not here,' Di Matteo said. 'I thought he had a very good end to the last season for us. He made a lot of assists and works extremely hard, and scored some important goals. He started this season well and has competition also, we have Daniel Sturridge as well and I believe competition is very important for us.'

Time was also given to the topic of Eden Hazard, who has set English football ablaze with his dribbling and eye for a pass.

'He's brought a lot of creativity and different options to us but he is not the only one. He has linked up with Juan Mata and the other midfield players and Fernando, we have seen they have a very good understanding,' Di Matteo assessed. 'His impact is very positive at the beginning of the season but also thanks to the rest of the team that he has been able to settle smoothly.

'I am pleased with the start we had and also with the way we have been playing at the beginning of the season. We can still improve a lot and we have some players we need to integrate who need to adapt a little bit to our team and shape.

'It is always good to have a good start, it brings a lot of confidence to the players and the belief we can have a good season but we still have to work a lot to be able to be challenging for the top.'

Di Matteo's team news explained that Yossi Benayoun, Florent Malouda and Marko Marin have not travelled. 'Benayoun was ill for the last two days and Malouda was just a technical decision from my point of view. The rest are all here,' he said. Marin is still recovering from a hamstring problem.

For now though the focus is not on Cobham or Stamford Bridge, it is all about a one-off fixture in Europe's most exclusive venue. For Di Matteo, there is the hope of history repeating on Friday night.

'It was 14 years ago, so a long time ago, the last time the club won this trophy and it would be nice for us to be able to continue this positive start to this season that we had,' he said.

It would be the perfect way to commence our European campaign.

ENGLAND SIX
Posted on: Thu 30 Aug 2012

England manager Roy Hodgson has named six Chelsea players in his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine early next month.

John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill and Daniel Sturridge are all selected, plus Ryan Bertrand who made his England debut as a substitute in a friendly against Italy a fortnight ago (pictured).

The full squad is:

Butland (Birmingham), Hart (Man City), Ruddy (Norwich); Baines (Everton), Bertrand (Chelsea), Cahill (Chelsea), Cole (Chelsea), Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Liverpool), Lescott (Man City), Terry (Chelsea), Walker (Tottenham); Carrick (Man United), Cleverley (Man United), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Gerrard (Liverpool), A Johnson (Sunderland), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Man City), Walcott (Arsenal); Carroll (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham), Sturridge (Chelsea), Welbeck (Man United).

Hazard: Chelsea are the team to beat in Europe



Eden Hazard believes Chelsea will be the scalp that Europe’s top teams will be after this season ahead of the UEFA Super Cup final against Atletico Madrid.

The Belgium international joined the Blues in the summer in a £32 million switch from Lille after the London club won the Champions League for the first time in their history.

It was that European Cup success which convinced the 21-year-old to snub other major offers in favour of a move to Stamford Bridge but he is fully aware how difficult the trophy will be to defend.

Indeed, no club has ever retained the Champions League crown but Hazard is convinced it can be done.

“It will be complicated as now we are the team to beat, as Chelsea won the Champions League last year,” he told www.uefa.com.

“We also know it will be difficult to win it twice in a row.

“The most important thing is to take it one game at a time and see what we can achieve.

“For a club like Chelsea, the goal is to win the Champions League every year, even though we know it will be difficult.”

The draw for continent’s top competition will take place tomorrow in Monaco on the eve of the Super Cup showpiece but Atletico will not be involved after they failed to qualify.

Nevertheless, the attacker still thinks the La Liga side will be a tough nut to crack.

“They are a great team with great players,” Hazard said. “I hope it will be a good game and that we win, to claim my first trophy for Chelsea.

“But we expect nothing less than a tough match against a great team. It will not be easy.”

Chelsea will be without suspended captain John Terry for Friday’s game but the defender has returned to training following the neck injury that ruled him out of Saturday’s win over Newcastle.

Manager Robert Di Matteo has no fresh injury concerns for Friday’s game, with Marko Marin again expected to miss out with his hamstring problem.

It remains to be seen whether he and Terry will travel to Monaco or those players being linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge prior to Friday’s transfer deadline, especially Michael Essien.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 32 TEAMS AWAIT THEIR FATE
Posted on: Thu 30 Aug 2012

Just over three months after Chelsea were crowned European champions, we will discover how we begin our defence of the title when the group stage draw takes place in Monaco this afternoon (Thursday).

The scheduled start of the draw is at 4.45pm UK time, with the Chelsea squad in the principality ahead of the Super Cup match the following evening.

When it comes to the Champions League draw, we will take our place in the Pot 1 containing the eight top-seeded teams which means no rematch with Bayern Munich nor Barcelona at this stage of the competition. We will also be kept away from Spanish and Portuguese champions Real Madrid and Porto, and Italian runners-up AC Milan who are also in Pot 1.

Pot 2 contains the next eight highest seeds. Manchester City, as a fellow English club, cannot be drawn in the same group as Chelsea, which leaves seven other possibilities.

A draw against Benfica would pit us against our quarter-final opponents from last season and there is another Portuguese club in the pot. Braga were third in their domestic league last season and are in the Champions League for a second time having beaten Udinese on penalties in a qualifier.

We faced Valencia in last season's group stage and Schalke back in 2007. The Gelsenkirchen side finished third in the Bundesliga last campaign. The rest of Pot 2 comes from eastern Europe and would all be new opposition for Chelsea.

Dynamo Kiev, who beat Borussia Monchengladbach in a qualifier this week, play in the stadium that saw Fernando Torres and Juan Mata score in the Euro 2012 final. Shakhtar Donetsk hosted a Euro 2012 semi-final in their stadium, plus England's matches against France and hosts Ukraine. Zenit St. Petersburg are the reigning Russian champions.

Pot 3 contains our recent pre-season opponents, Carlo Ancelotti's Paris St-Germain, who have reached this stage for the first time since they were in Chelsea's group in 2004. Italian champions Juventus are a tough prospect for anyone drawing them as the third seeded team in their group and there are plenty of other former opponents of ours in the shape of Spartak Moscow, Anderlecht, Galatasaray and Olympicos - the last three all champions in their countries.

There are just two potentially new Champions League opponents in Pot 3. Ajax were top in the Netherlands last season and Eden Hazard would be able to brief his team-mates well should we draw Lille, who now have Salomon Kalou in their squad. As the third-placed team in France, the club from just the other side of the channel tunnel came through the qualifiers where they beat FC Copenhagen.

Borussia Dortmund, winners of the league and cup double in Germany last season, will be the team everyone wants to avoid from Pot 4 which contains the lowest seeds.

Only Cluj from Romania among the eight teams have played Chelsea in European competition previously. Malaga are the fourth Spanish side in the draw and are making their debut in the Champions League having seen off Panathinaikos in a qualifier.

Celtic raises the prospect of our first Champions League match against Scottish opposition and we have not travelled to Croatia either who are represented by their champions Dinamo Zagreb.

BATE Borisov of Belarus have been a regular feature of the group stage of late but the champions of France and Denmark, Montpellier and Nordsjælland, are debutants.

The full list of teams in the group stage draw is:


Pot 1
Chelsea (Eng)
Barcelona (Esp)
Manchester United (Eng)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Arsenal (Eng)
Porto (Por)
AC Milan (Ita)


Pot 2
Valencia (Esp)
Benfica (Por)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
Zenit St. Petersburg (Rus)
Schalke (Ger)
Manchester City (Eng)
Sporting Braga (Por)
Dynamo Kiev (Ukr)


Pot 3
Olympiacos (Gre)
Ajax (Ned)
Anderlecht (Bel)
Juventus (Ita)
Spartak Moscow (Rus)
Paris St-Germain (Fra)
Lille (Fra)
Galatasaray (Tur)


Pot 4
Celtic (Sco)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
BATE Borisov (Bls)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
CFR Cluj (Rom)
Malaga (Esp)
Montpellier (Fra)
FC Nordsjælland (Den)

Chelsea loanee missed Yeovil clash with injury but should face Everton


Chelsea loanee Romelue Lukaku has sustained a training ground injury, causing him to miss the 4-2 win over Yeovil in the Capital One Cup.

However, assistant manager Keith Downing is confident that the striker will return for their home game with Everton on Saturday.

“Lukaku has a training-ground injury he sustained on the Sunday,” Downing told the club’s official site.

“He won’t be far away.”

Chelsea midfielder Benayoun in loan talks with two Premier League clubs
The Israeli has a year remaining on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with moves to West Ham and Fulham this summer, having spent last season with Arsenal

Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun has confirmed he is in talks with two unnamed Premier League clubs over a potential loan deal.

The 32-year-old, who signed for Chelsea from Liverpool in 2010, spent the whole of last season on loan at Arsenal, where he made 19 Premier League appearances for Arsene Wenger's side
"I can confirm that I'm in talks with two premier league clubs about a loan move,hope to sort it by tomorrow evening," Benayoun posted on Twitter.

The Israeli has a year remaining on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with moves to Fulham, West Ham and Greek side Olympiakos this summer.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wins High Court battle against Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky

Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky has lost a High Court battle against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.


Mr Berezovsky, 66, had accused the 45-year-old billionaire businessman of blackmail, breach of trust and breach of contract.

He was seeking more than 3billion of damages from Mr Abramovich, who denied the allegations and denied that Mr Berezovsky was entitled to damages.

This morning Mrs Justice Gloster ruled in Mr Abramovich's favour after a four-month trial in London which started in October 2011 and ended in January this year.

The legal fight centred on deals done in Russia following the break-up of the Soviet Union two decades ago.

Announcing her decision, Mrs Justice Gloster said she found Mr Abramovich "to be a truthful, and on the whole reliable, witness".

Mr Berezovsky, who was in court for today's ruling, told the trial that Mr Abramovich had "intimidated" him into selling shares in Russian oil company Sibneft at a fraction of their value.

He also told the judge that Mr Abramovich had broken a promise made during a deal relating to a Russian aluminium company, but Mr Abramovich disputed the claims.

Mrs Justice Gloster said she dismissed Mr Berezovsky's claims both in relation to Sibneft and in relation to RusAl "in their entirety".

The court heard how both men "rose to enormous wealth and influence" in Russia in the 1990s as state-owned firms were privatised in the wake of the collapse of communism.

In 2000 Mr Berezovsky fled Russia after falling out with President Vladimir Putin. He settled in England, after initially going to France.

Mr Berezovsky claimed that he had been betrayed by his former friend and business partner, but Mr Abramovich said the claims were "wholly without merit".

During the trial, Laurence Rabinowitz QC, for Mr Berezovsky, said both men had worked together to acquire Sibneft, and became friends.

Mr Berezovsky claimed that in 1995 he, a colleague and Mr Abramovich agreed to "work together" to bring Sibneft under their control.

They had persuaded then Russian president Boris Yeltsin to "bring about the privatisation of Sibneft and its disposal into their hands", said Mr Rabinowitz.

But, said the QC, Mr Abramovich had intimidated Mr Berezovsky and his colleague into selling their ownership interest in Sibneft at a "massive undervalue" and put Mr Berezovsky "in fear for the life of his friend and the risk that his property might be expropriated".

Jonathan Sumption QC, for Mr Abramovich, said Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds by businesses controlled by Mr Abramovich for his services as a "political godfather".

But Mr Sumption said Mr Berezovsky had not "contributed a single cent" to acquiring or building up Sibneft, nor made any managerial contribution.

He said Mr Berezovsky's contribution had been "important, indeed... indispensable" but "almost entirely political".

Chelsea star reveals reason for upturn in form
Fernando Torres has scored three goals in the Blues’ first four games

Chelsea star Fernando Torres believes that having an assured place in the Blues’ starting XI is one of the reasons why he is back on the goal trail.

The Spaniard scored seven league goals in his first 18 months at the club but has found the target twice in the Premier League this season.

“When you feel the confidence of everyone and you’re in the line-up normally, the confidence is easier to have back,” he said.

“You know you’re going to play, or think you are.

“That’s the main difference between this and the previous one and a half seasons at Chelsea.

“I’m playing more minutes and the confidence is back.”

Chelsea’s Fernando Torres makes celebration vow for Atletico Madrid clash

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres will not celebrate if he scores against boyhood club Atletico Madrid.

The Spain striker scored 84 goals in 214 games before moving to Liverpool and then on to Stamford Bridge.

“It’ll be a complicated situation to play against a team whose fanbase still supports me,” he said.

“I’d never make an unsporting gesture in the stadium. If a goal is scored, I will not celebrate it.”

Torres has found the target three times in his first four games.

Mixed fortunes for Chelsea and Arsenal in Champions League draw

Champions League draw: Arsenal and Chelsea discover their Champions League group fate
Chelsea will face Italian giants Juventus, Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk and Danish newcomers Nordsjaelland as they were handed a tricky Group E draw.

Arsenal will be happier with their draw in Group B, which puts them up against German side Schalke, Greek champions Olympiacos - who they faced last year - and French champions Montpellier.

Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris Saint-Germain, Dinamo Zagreb

Group B: ARSENAL, Schalke 04, Olympiacos, Montpellier

Group C: AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, Malaga

Group D: Real Madrid, Man City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund

Group E: CHELSEA, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Norsdsjaelland

Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov

Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic

Group H: Man Utd, Braga, Galatasary, CFR Cluj

Chelsea youngster leaves on loan


Chelsea have confirmed that confirmed Eden Hazard’s younger brother Thorgan, who they also signed this summer, has joined Belgian club Zulte Waregem on a season-long loan.

The 19-year-old was signed in July and has been earmarked as one to watch in the future.

Hazard played in the opening Under-21 league game versus Manchester City and the NextGen Under-19 match against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.

Arsenal face Coventry, Chelsea face Wolves in Capital One Cup draw


The draw for teh Capital One Cup third round was made tonight, with Arsenal paired at home against League One side Coventry and Chelsea handed a home tie against newly-relegated Wolves.

Mark Hughes’ QPR face a tricky clash with Premier League rivals Reading at Loftus Road.

West Ham drew Wigan at home, while Spurs face the long trip up north to League One minnows Carlisle.

The ties will be played in the week commencing September 24.

Full draw:

Man Utd v Newcastle

Man City v Aston Villa

MK Dons v Sunderland

West Brom v Liverpool

Crawley v Swansea

QPR v Reading

Norwich v Doncaster

Bradford v Burton

Preston v Middlesbrough

ARSENAL v Coventry

Southampton v Sheff Wed

CHELSEA v Wolves

Carlisle v TOTTENHAM

Swindon v Burnley

WEST HAM v Wigan

Leeds v Everton

MATA: SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY
Posted on: Fri 31 Aug 2012

Juan Mata is hopeful the Blues can emulate our European success of a few months ago and lift the UEFA Super Cup for the second time in our history when we take on Atletico Madrid tonight.

Manager Roberto Di Matteo was part of the Chelsea team which secured the trophy back in 1998 with a 1-0 win - in Monaco - against Real Madrid, and Mata is desperate to build on the success of last season by overcoming Diego Simeone's men later this evening.

'A Super Cup is a special opportunity,' said Mata. 'It's a Spanish team as well, a team where I have good friends. We'd like to add this trophy to our list of achievements.

'It's very special, we want to win because of the team, the club. Winning the Champions League was a special moment and now we have another opportunity.'

It's doubtful whether last season, Mata's first at the club, could have gone any better. After helping the side secure both the FA Cup and Champions League, he was named as Chelsea's Player of the Year.

As if that wasn't enough, he was also part of the Spain squad which lifted the European Championship trophy in Poland and Ukraine, coming off the bench to score the fourth goal in their demolition of Italy in the final.

He has begun the current campaign in a similar manner to the way in which he finished the last one, and his link-up play with Eden Hazard has been a key factor in our three victories thus far.

Mata enjoys playing with the Belgian but stressed that, for obvious reasons, the key to success against Atletico may lay with another particular teammate.

'Hazard is a good player, he's fitted in very quickly,' said the Spaniard. 'He's doing everything very well, has a lot of quality and can win a game on his own. We have a great understanding on the pitch already.

'We have big rivals, Fernando [Torres] knows them very well. They have a strong team, good strikers and defenders as well as quality midfielders.'

Arsene Wenger: Injured trio returning bigger boost than loaning Chelsea man

Friday, August 31, 2012

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger attempted to pour cold water on the speculation linking the Gunners with a move for Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien.

The Ghana international has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge but the Gunners boss believes the returns of Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna and Tomas Rosicky would benefit the club more.

“Getting our injured players back is the best way for us to strengthen the squad,” Wenger said. “We do not just want to bring average players in.

“Spending in itself is not a quality. Buying good players is a quality, better players than you have is a quality.”

Vitesse Arnhem to land Chelsea attacker Kakuta


Chelsea attacker Gael Kakuta is moving to Holland.

Kakuta is joining Vitesse Arnhem on-loan after several weeks of talks with Olympique Marseille.

Vitesse and Chelsea enjoy a close relationship.

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA v ATLETICO MADRID

Chelsea eyes, used to turning towards Monte Carlo at this time of the year for the Champions League draw, have reason to keep gazing on. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton look at our second Super Cup against opposition from the Spanish capital in part one of their preview…


TALKING POINTS
Created in 1972 by a Dutchman determined to show that his fellow countrymen Ajax were the continent's top dogs, the Super Cup remains something of an honorary title rather than empirical proof of superiority.

Never the less, you have to be in it to win it. By becoming the first London club to win the Champions League, this Chelsea side are also the first from the capital to contest the trophy since their forebears, Wise, Desailly, Zola and co. in 1998.

Roberto Di Matteo, who tonight plots to make Chelsea the eighth club to have won the Super Cup more than once, played in midfield during the Blues' 1-0 victory over Real Madrid 14 years ago. No other London side has won this trophy.

KEY STAT
None of the 36 previous UEFA Super Cup finals have required a penalty shoot-out.


It is fitting that the winners of the first Super Cup of the long Stade Louis II residency should also participate in the last, after which the match becomes a moveable feast. In it will be played in Prague, followed by Cardiff in 2014 and Tbilisi in 2015.

A UEFA event since its second year, 1973, and known as the European Super Cup until 1992, the early competition led something of a wild-child existence. The fact the 1973 contest was played in 1974 speaks volumes.

Until 1998, when Monaco became home (pictured below), it was of no fixed abode or date, beginning as a two-legged affair scheduled at the convenience of the contestants: the winners of the previous season's European Cup and Cup-Winners' Cup (later the winners of the UEFA Cup, and now Europa League).
However, it was reduced to a single match in a neutral ground on several occasions and in 1974, when the qualifiers were our vanquished opponents Bayern Munich and Magdeburg - on either side of a divided Germany - politics meant the event did not take place at all. (The first of three blank seasons over the years.)

The experience of England representatives is telling. Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest played Barcelona home and away over two weeks in January 1980; Aston Villa did exactly the same three years later. Other times it was squeezed around the domestic calendar in September or December.

Although Clough's announcement back in 1980 that he would be treating the games 'as seriously as any other European tie', only 23,000 attended the City Ground leg, with 80,000 at Camp Nou. (Like Chelsea last season, a draw was enough for Forest to beat the Catalans at home on aggregate.)

Just 22,000 turned up on a chilly Tuesday in November 1991 to see Man United beat Red Star Belgrade at Old Trafford - 7,000 down on their average gate at the time, and their worst home crowd of the season.

If the European public appear to take the 'exhibition match' more seriously than their English counterpart, the same might be levelled at clubs. Only Liverpool, with three, are multiple winners so far.

English teams have contested the Super Cup on 13 occasions winning seven and losing six. Spanish teams have played in 16 finals winning nine and losing seven. AC Milan (five) and Barcelona (four) have won the Super Cup the most times.

Impressive young Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, signed from Genk in July last year and loaned to tonight's opponents, is in line to play against his parent club. Unlike the Premier League, Uefa allows loan players to play. Last season he kept 23 clean sheets in 52 games in all competitions, including the final, a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

KEY TWEET
What advice would you give Chelsea's on-loan Thibaut Courtois before he faces his parent club tonight? #CFCPMB


If necessary 30 minutes extra time will be played and then penalties if scores are still level.

Chelsea have won three of our last five penalty shoot-outs, the last being at the Allianz Arena for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

Atlético have lost all three previous shoot-outs in European competition.




English teams in the Uefa Super Cup
Winners Runners-up
Liverpool 3 2
Manchester United 1 2
Nottingham Forest 1 1
Aston Villa 1 0
Chelsea 1 0
Arsenal 0 1


Last five years
2007 - AC Milan 3-1 Sevilla
2008 - Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 Manchester United
2009 - Barcelona 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (aet)
2010 - Atlético Madrid 2-0 Inter
2011 - Barcelona 2-0 Porto


The Stade Louis II has a capacity of 18,523.


There is a full Premier League programme this weekend apart from Chelsea v Reading, which was scheduled for this weekend but brought forward and played on 22 August, resulting in the 4-2 win that puts the Blues top of the Premier League. Only Swansea (+8 goal difference to Chelsea's +6) and Everton (+3) can leapfrog Di Matteo's men with a win at the weekend, going into a two-week international break.


Barclays Premier League fixtures
Saturday
West Ham v Fulham 12.45pm - Sky Sports
Swansea v Sunderland 3pm
Tottenham v Norwich 3pm
West Brom v Everton 3pm
Wigan v Stoke 3pm
Manchester City v QPR 5.30pm - ESPN
Sunday
Liverpool v Arsenal 1.30pm - Sky Sports
Newcastle v Aston Villa 4pm
Southampton v Manchester United 4pm - Sky Sports



Barclays Premier League
Top Pld Gd Pts
1 Chelsea 3 6 9
2 Swansea 2 8 6
3 Everton 2 3 6
4 West Brom 2 3 4
5 Man City 2 1 4

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V ATLETICO MADRID - PART TWO

CHELSEA STATS
The Blues reached the UEFA Super Cup by beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League final 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra time.

We lined up 4-2-3-1: Cech; Bosingwa, Cahill, D Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard (c); Kalou (Torres 83), Mata, Bertrand (73); Drogba.
Scorer Drogba (88). Shoot-out scorers: D Luiz, Lampard, Cole, Drogba.
Penalty save Cech. Shoot-out saves: Cech 2

Since our defeat at Napoli in the Round of 16 first leg in March we are unbeaten in Europe in six matches.

Chelsea's record against Spanish teams in European competition is won 15, drawn 11 and lost eight. In two-legged ties we have won four and lost six.

Chelsea are unbeaten in 15 games against Spanish opposition since 2006.

Roberto Di Matteo played in Chelsea's only previous Super Cup final in 1998. Eddie Newton was an unused sub. We qualified by beating Stuttgart in the European Cup Winners' Cup final in Stockholm and defeated the Champions League holders Real Madrid 1-0 with a Gus Poyet goal after 82 minutes.

Team (4-1-2-1-2) De Goey; Ferrer, Duberry, Lebœuf, Le Saux; Desailly; Wise (c), Babayaro; Di Matteo (Poyet 62); Zola (Laudrup 83), Casiraghi (Flo 89).


Chelsea's last ten years in Europe
2002/03 - Uefa Cup - first round
2003/04 - Champions League - semi-final
2004/05 - Champions League - semi-final
2005/06 - Champions League - round of 16
2006/07 - Champions League - semi-final
2007/08 - Champions League - runners-up
2008/09 - Champions League - semi-final
2009/10 - Champions League - round of 16
2010/11 - Champions League - quarter-final
2011/12 - Champions League - winners


This season to date
Aug 12 Manchester City (Community Shield) L 2-3
Aug 19 Wigan (a) W 2-0
Aug 22 Reading (h) W 4-2
Aug 25 Newcastle (h) W 2-0



2012/13 scorers
Torres 3, Ivanovic 2, Lampard 2 (2 pens), Bertrand 1, Cahill 1, Hazard 1 (pen). Total 10.


Chelsea's next three games
Sat 15 Sep QPR away 3.00pm
Wed 19 Sep Juventus home 7.45pm
Sat 22 Sep Stoke City home 3.00pm



MILESTONES
If selected, Michael Essien will play his 50th Chelsea game in Europe.


ATLÉTICO STATS
Formed 1903.

Major trophies
9 Spanish League championships, last in 1996
9 Spanish Cups, last in 1996
1 Spanish Super Cup in 1985
2 UEFA Europa Leagues 2010 and 2012
1 UEFA Super Cup in 2010
1 European Cup Winners' Cup in 1962
1 Intercontinental Cup in 1975


Last ten seasons in La Liga
2002/03 - 12th
2003/04 - 7th
2004/05 - 11th
2005/06 - 10th
2006/07 - 7th
2007/08 - 4th
2008/09 - 4th
2009/10 - 9th
2010/11 - 7th
2011/12 - 5th


Atlético qualified for the Super Cup by beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in Bucharest. Falcao, with two, and Diego were their scorers.

The Spanish side have won their last 12 European matches since their last defeat against Udinese in last season's Europa League group stage.

They last played English opposition in the 2010 Europa League final when they beat Fulham 2-1.

Their overall record against English opposition is won 7, drawn 8 and lost 5.

Atletico Madrid won their previous Super Cup by beating Inter Milan 2-0 in 2010. José Antonio Reyes (62) and Sergio Agüero (83) were their scorers.

(4-2-3-1): De Gea; Ujfaluši, Perea, Godin, Dominguez; Assunção, Garcia; Reyes (Mérida 69), Forlan (Jurado 82), Simão (c) (Camacho 90+1); Agüero


Ten-year European record
2002/03 - Did not qualify
2003/04 - Did not qualify
2004/05 - Intertoto Cup - final
2005/06 - Did not qualify
2006/07 - Did not qualify
2007/08 - UEFA Cup - round of 32
2008/09 - Champions League - round of 16
2009/10 - Europa League winners (having transferred from the Champions League group stage)
2010/11 - Europa League group stage
2011/12 - Europa League winners


This season to date
Aug 19 Levante (a) D 1-1
Aug 27 Athletic Bilbao (h) W 4-0



2012/13 La Liga table top six
Top Pld Gd Pts
1 Barcelona 2 5 6
2 Valladolid 2 3 6
3 Rayo Vallecano 2 2 6
4 Atlético Madrid 2 4 4
5 Deportivo La Coruña 2 2 4
6 Real Mallorca 2 1 4



THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Damir Skomina from Slovenia. He was the official when we played Benfica at Stamford Bridge last season.


OTHERWISE ENGAGED
John Terry and Chelsea old boy Tiago are suspended (second of two) following their red cards in their semi-finals last season.