For one club, it’s business as usual. For the other, it’s a return to the biggest stage in English academy football for the first time in decade. For Chelsea, it’s about history. It’s about the opportunity to emulate the Busby Babes of Manchester United in the 1950s, and it’s about the chance to win a fifth successive FA Youth Cup. For Arsenal, it’s about re-establishing their credentials as one of…
UEFA Youth League: Chelsea 0-3 Barcelona
It wasn’t to be in the end. Chelsea’s bid for a third UEFA Youth League title fell short at the last as they were summarily beaten 3-0 by an impressive Barcelona in Monday’s Final in Nyon, Switzerland. In truth the Blues had looked a pale shadow of their usual selves in Friday’s Semi Final against Porto, one they only came through after a dramatic penalty shootout, and the malaise carried…
Previewing the 2017-18 UEFA Youth League Final
Here we go again then. For the third time in four seasons – and for their third successive participation in the competition – Chelsea are preparing to take part in the UEFA Youth League Final. The Blues were victorious in 2015 and 2016, against Shakhtar Donetsk and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, but were then denied the opportunity to defend their title in 2017 due to a combination of the club’s first…
The Loan Report: April 16-22
It wasn’t the busiest of weeks on the Loan Army front, but there’s still enough to catch up on from the past seven days, including one certain goal for Mason Mount, one emphatic one from Danilo Pantic, and one that Fikayo Tomori is claiming even if the powers that be have ultimately disagreed. Headliners Mount’s goal – his eight of the season and the 86th overall by Chelsea’s loanees –…
UEFA Youth League: Chelsea 2-2 FC Porto (Chelsea win 5-4 on penalties)
Chelsea will take their place in Monday’s UEFA Youth League Final after a nerve-wracking Semi Final against FC Porto at Nyon’s Stade Colovray was decided on penalties. The Blues, who led through Daishawn Redan’s first-half goal, found themselves starting at elimination with ten minutes remaining, as substitute Joao Mario added to Diogo Quierós’ equaliser to give the Portuguese the ascendancy. Josh Grant produced a captain’s goal to equalise at the…
Under-18s: Chelsea 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea’s imperious unbeaten Under-18 home record, stretching back more than three years, finally came to an end on Wednesday afternoon as a young Blues side succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur. With the South league title already in the bag and the UEFA Youth League Finals weekend ahead in Switzerland this Friday and Monday, almost no risks were taken with players likely to take part…
The Loan Report: April 9-15
The final weeks of the season are upon us and with them come opportunities to clinch silverware. Marco van Ginkel did just that this weekend, and will lead off our headliners as the captain of the newly-crowned Dutch champions, whilst Iké Ugbo joins him after finding the net for Milton Keynes. Headliners Van Ginkel has been amongst PSV’s best players all season long, captaining a side that has been head…