It’s not often that a dead rubber ends up as one of the most important matches of the season. For Chelsea, however, the trip to Marseille to round off the Champions League Group Stages presents the chance to right some recent wrongs and pick up a first win since beating MSK Zilina in late November. With both teams already through to the last sixteen, neither can change position, and the…
Ah, the glamorous South of France. Casinos. Blue sky. Azure coastline. A terrifying approach to Nice Airport during which you think you will be landing in the Med. I have given this article some thought in the weeks prior to sitting down to the writing of it. As your local friendly Chels features writer, using a pseudonym, how much of oneself does one give away? Well, I think it fair…
Defeats, sackings, internal turmoil, and rumours about Carlo’s future and injuries wasn’t the best preparation for the Champions League tie against MSK Zilina. But, here at Chelsea we have grown accustomed to all these things and the player‘s on the pitch showed that they have as well, as we overcame a 1-0 deficit to record a first win in 3 in all competitions and keep our 100% record intact in…
Just one point stands between Chelsea and progression to the UEFA Champion’s League as group winners. A fairly simple proposition on paper, but things have been far from simple lately at Stamford Bridge. Three defeats in the last four games and a worrying drought in front of goal, with only five goals scored in the previous six domestic outings, has left Carlo Ancelotti and his squad reeling as the media…
Chelsea continued their impressive run in the Champions League, winning all three points and extending the unbeaten run in the group stages of the Champions League to 22 matches, spanning over 7 years. After a goalless first-half, which lacked in quality and cutting edge, Chelsea came out roaring after the break with the impressive Anelka opening the scoring for the Blues, before a Drogba penalty and a brace by Ivanovic…
Tonight Sir Didier of Drogba makes his return to the Champions League, in an effort to help Chelsea secure qualification for the next round. With injuries mounting up, Ancelotti gave some indication of who may play by stating who won’t. “Malouda and Bosingwa are not available for tomorrow. Malouda has a problem on his ankle after a tackle in the last game,’ reported Ancelotti. ‘It’s not a big problem but…
Chelsea returned to the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue for the infamous 2008 Champions League final, for the clash against Spartak Moscow. Carlo Ancelotti said at the beginning of the match that ‘today is going to be a different day’, and so it proved to be, as Chelsea put the records straight and came away with a 2-0 victory. Both teams went into the game unbeaten, with Chelsea leading the group…
Twelve yards, a ball, a goalkeeper and a defender, John Terry vs. Edwin Van Der Sar, this for the European Champions League, the run up and then in slow motion the slip, and as if in slow motion, the ball cannons back off the post and United go on to steal the Champions League from Chelsea. Two years, three managers and another semi final heartbreak later, Chelsea return to the…
It’s an irony that the media perception in this country is of Joe Public hating the Germans, which is generally untrue. You still get the odd soul for whom the mantra; “Jerry bombed my Grandad’s house” has coloured their view for the majority of their lives. Then there’s those who gorge on right-wing press stories of bad mannered Germans’ holiday traits, but most people born after the 60’s, and whose…
Reported to UEFA already and we’re only two games in, some things never change. Just like that of European referees, this time Belgian Frank De Bleeckere who seemed intent on continuing what almost feels like policy now, in making what we’ll kindly refer to as ‘odd’ decisions. This time though, it’s not a manager, player swearing or criticising officials, the opposition or UEFA in general, but our stadium security staff….