With Antonio Conte set to step into the Chelsea hot seat, former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari warned the Italian that not even being the best coach on the planet can prepare you for life at Stamford Bridge.
Departing Italy coach Conte will manage Chelsea next season following the conclusion of Euro 2016 in July, as interim boss Guus Hiddink steps aside after Jose Mourinho left the Premier League club in December.
Conte moves to London with considerable pedigree as a three-time Serie A-winning coach at Juventus.
However Scolari, who guided Brazil to glory at the 2002 World Cup but lasted just 36 games in charge of Chelsea following his appointment in 2008, insisted all that counts for nothing under demanding owner Roman Abramovich.
You can win the World Cu…
Aston Villa have secured the services of Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona for the rest of the season with an option to buy, and it seems manager Steven Gerrard feels they need more midfield reinforcements. According to reports coming from several sources, Villa are now interested in signing Yves Bissouma from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Currently on international duty, representing Mali at the African Cup of Nations, the 25-year-old defensive midfielder has made a total of 111 appearances for Brighton since arriving from LOSC Lille back in 2018. Seagulls manager Graham Potter was asked about the reported interest in Bissouma after the FA Cup triumph over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, and he said there was no official contact from any club over a potential transfer.
Mikel Arteta has stood by his VAR outburst following Arsenal’s loss at Newcastle on Saturday and insists he will continue to “talk loudly” until he believes the situation improves.
The Gunners lost 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday – their first Premier League defeat of the campaign – as Anthony Gordon scored a controversial winner for the hosts.
The second-half goal was checked for three separate VAR offences – the ball going out of play, a foul by Joelinton on Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and a potential offside – but survived them all to ultimately earn Newcastle the three points.
Speaking after the defeat, Arteta said it was “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” that the goal stood – while Arsenal issued a statement on Sunday in supp…
Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder remains optimistic about keeping Manchester United target Antony, despite the unsettled winger sitting out a 1-0 win at Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday.
Antony starred in consecutive title-winning campaigns under Erik ten Hag in Amsterdam, and the new United boss is reportedly keen on a reunion with the Brazilian as he bids to reverse the Red Devils poor start to the season.
Ten Hag became the first United manager in over a century to lose his first two games at the helm when his team suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss at Brentford, and he is looking to make several additions ahead of the closure of the transfer window.
United have already reached an agreement to sign Real Madrid enforcer Casemiro, and they have been tipped to make a big-mo…
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has no doubt about Pep Guardiola s ability to adapt to the challenges at Manchester City and in the Premier League.
Guardiola s City have made a flying start to the season, sitting top of the table after three wins from as many matches.
Iniesta, who starred under Guardiola at Barca in 2008-12, backed his former coach and Spain team-mates in the City squad, including the exceptional David Silva.
Pep knows how to adapt and I m sure he ll do so in England, Iniesta said, via The Guardian.
He s also got staff like Mikel Arteta who ll help that process, who know the league.
City have signed well and have a very competitive squad. I know Nolito well because he was a team-mate here at Barcelona and with Spain. He s h…
Arsenal are interested in signing Jesper Lindstrom from Eintracht Frankfurt in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Gunners have made contact with the midfielder, who will cost £17 million in transfer fees.
Lindstrom has been on the books of German club Frankfurt since the summer of 2021 when he joined from Brondby. The 22-year-old made 26 starts and three substitute appearances in the Bundesliga last season, scoring five goals and providing four assists in the process. Lindstrom also gave one assist in nine UEFA Europa League last season.
So far this season, Lindstrom has made four starts and two substitute appearances in the Bundesliga for Frankfurt, scoring one goal in the process. The 22-year-old has scored one goal in two UEF…
Robert Lewandowski has been blown away by Barcelona s flood of teenage talent and believes there is no better place for young footballers to blossom.
The 34-year-old Poland captain was brought in from Bayern Munich to provide a quick fix and give Barcelona a reliable goalscorer in the short term.
But there is long-term vision at Barcelona too, with the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Ansu Fati and Alejandro Balde all emerging as first-team players while still in their teens.
Pedri arrived from Las Palmas in 2020 and was quickly assimilated into the senior set-up, bypassing the system at La Masia, the Barcelona academy, because he was considered so advanced already.
Most have come through years of training in the academy system, however, which is churning out top-cl…
Raheem Sterling struck Manchester City s second goal in their 2-0 win at Burnley to move onto 99 for the club in the Premier League.
With Pep Guardiola s men starting to build an ominous lead at the top of the table, this weekend would be an ideal time for Sterling to score for just the second time against Liverpool in what would be his 11th league meeting with his former employers.
Burnley have had a poor couple of games but there s value to be had in backing three of their top performers to deliver when they host in-form Brighton and Hove Albion.
Meanwhile, Anthony Martial is back among the goals for Manchester United and could well be worth a spot in your fantasy line-up.
154 Raheem Sterling has been directly involved in 154 goals in all competitions …
Leeds United are interested in signing Ben Brereton Diaz from Blackburn Rovers in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Leeds have been scouting the Chile international striker this season, and that the Premier League club could make a move for him when the transfer window opens in January, having been his long-term admirers.
Brereton Diaz is out of contract at Blackburn at the end of the season. The striker has reportedly told Rovers that he is not going to put pen to paper on a new deal, so the Championship club are now facing the prospect of losing the 23-year-old on a free next summer. Rovers could now be willing to sell Brereton Diaz for £10 million in the January transfer window.
The striker has scored nine goals and provided one…
Prediction: Manchester United to Win 1-0
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The first big-six clash of the Premier League season takes place on the opening weekend as Manchester United and Chelsea come together at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The two sides have gone through plenty of change within the last 12 months and are under the tutelage of club legends heading into the new campaign Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard. Each will be extremely keen to get their 2019/20 season off to the best possible start at the Theatre of Dreams.
Manchester United
One of the Red Devils major problems from last campaign their defence finally appears to have been fixed. Only West Ham United conceded more goals than Manchester United s 54 throughout the 2018/29 season. Solskjae…