Vesper

I do not think an Enzo-less Benfica can handle Napoli

yes to win it, the only top 4 on the planet team we do not have to face is likely either Citeh or Bayern (the loser of their tie) for sure we face 2 of the top 3 just to get to the final

N’Golo Kante is a ‘huge player’ for Chelsea at his highest level – Graham Potter https://theathletic.com/4320051/2023/03/17/graham-potter-ngolo-kante-Chelsea/ Graham Potter is confident he has enough time to get N’Golo Kante back to his best in time for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. Kante is in contention to be in the squad against Everton tomorrow. It is the first time the midfielder will feature for the club since suffering a serious hamstring strain against Tottenham in August. The France international is going to take a while to get to full match fitness after being ruled out for so long. But the two legs are being played on April 12 and 18, which gives Potter the opportunity to get him ready. When asked if he has an opportunity to get him up to speed in time to face Real Madrid, he replied: “Yes. When you have a player injured for that length of time, you have to take those steps regardless of what our situation is, to take the steps to get him up to speed, get him back to the player he is in a responsible way, doing it as safely as we can which enables him to take the right steps to go forward. Once he is at his highest level he is a huge player for us.” Potter feels Kante’s absence from the senior side has not been appreciated enough by those outside of Stamford Bridge and sees his return as providing a significant boost for the Champions League. He added: “Managers before me have spoken very highly about N’Golo because he is a top, top player. He has been a huge miss to us, that’s not to say other players haven’t given absolutely everything, they have. But N’Golo Kante is a top player. “It’s great for us that he’s back, we need to be mindful of the fact that he’s had a long injury, we need to make the next steps to get him up to speed in the Premier League, which is what we will do. But it’s great to have him with us.” Chelsea were beaten by Real Madrid at the quarter-finals last season and the La Liga club looked impressive in their 6-2 aggregate victory over Liverpool in the last 16 this time around. But Potter is not dismayed at the prospect of facing the holders and said: “The feeling is excitement but I’d rather speak about Everton because that’s the game tomorrow. The other stuff is a long way away.” Midfielder Mason Mount will also not play for England this month. The-24-year-old was selected in Gareth Southgate’s squad yesterday for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine. Raheem Sterling, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva are also all ruled out for Chelsea through injury. GO DEEPER Kante the Orchestrator: The Athletic's new analysis explains his changing Chelsea role

Joao Felix: Should Chelsea sign him permanently? https://theathletic.com/4315824/2023/03/17/joao-felix-Chelsea-atletico-madrid-sign-permanently/ It is just one of a number of tough decisions Chelsea have to make over the next few months: should they sign Joao Felix permanently? The 23-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid in January on loan for the rest of the season. There was no option or obligation to buy included in the deal so Chelsea will have to negotiate a fee with the La Liga club. He will not come cheap, but few quality international players do. So what should Chelsea do? The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondents Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson rarely agree on anything. And it will not come as a surprise that the same applies here as they debate whether the club should buy Joao Felix. No, he’s too expensive and other areas are a priority — Liam Twomey Joao Felix is clearly an elite talent and has done enough in his few appearances for Chelsea to establish himself as the most entertainingly skilful attacker to call Stamford Bridge home since Eden Hazard departed in 2019. That said, the ability of the player is only one factor to consider when weighing up a decision as big as this one. Make no mistake, buying Joao Felix permanently would be a big — and by big, I mean expensive — decision. That he signed a contract extension with Atletico Madrid before finalising his Chelsea loan move in January flew a little under the radar, but it means he will have four years remaining on his deal this summer. There is no defined option in the loan agreement that would facilitate Chelsea signing him, nor is there a clear price at which Atletico have indicated they would consider selling. Joao Felix’s buyout clause, a mandatory requirement in every La Liga player’s contract, is reportedly set at €350million (£307.2m; $371.4m) — a deterrent rather than an invitation. Chelsea clearly would not need to offer anything close to that figure but, given that Atletico paid €126million to acquire him from Benfica in 2019 and retain strong contractual leverage over a player who is still only 23, it is reasonable to assume they would expect to recoup a large chunk of that transfer fee in any sale — particularly in light of the spending that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have sanctioned over the past two transfer windows. Any large transfer fee for Joao Felix (which, it is important to note, UEFA will insist is amortised over no more than five years from this summer) would further complicate Chelsea’s attempts to remain compliant with financial fair play if they fail to secure Champions League qualification this season. Significant sales are required to offset some of the recent spending and it is inevitable that any more marquee deals will increase the sense of urgency. This is without factoring in Joao Felix’s salary — well in excess of £200,000 a week — which would put him in the upper reaches of a Chelsea wage structure that Boehly and Clearlake are trying to bring down to a more sustainable level. Perhaps he would accept a pay cut to make sure he gets out of Atletico, but that is not the way most top footballers or their agents operate. Working in Chelsea’s favour is the fact Joao Felix’s relationship with Diego Simeone is widely considered to be at a Thomas Tuchel-Romelu Lukaku level of broken. If the Argentine remains Atletico coach beyond this season, it is difficult to see how reconciliation could be achieved and that internal tension may help to reduce the asking price. But even if a deal can be done to sign Joao Felix, is he really what Chelsea need most? Boehly and Clearlake plan to scale back their transfer investment in future windows. If resources are now finite, surely other areas of the pitch assume greater priority: a genuine No 9 or a long-term midfield partner for Enzo Fernandez, or a new goalkeeper. The vast expense likely required to sign Joao Felix permanently may still be dwarfed by the opportunity cost; money spent on him cannot be spent elsewhere. Finally, is there even a functional, balanced formation that can maximise all of Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Kai Havertz in one team? Or is this array of attackers-who-aren’t-quite-strikers a recipe for a lavishly expensive final third unit which proves less than a coherent sum of its parts? The risk of the latter scenario is reason enough to be cautious. Yes, he has provided a spark and has the talent of Zola and Hazard — Simon Johnson Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here? Yes, I have gone there, starting my counterargument by quoting a line from a movie. It is a first for me and not something I intend to do regularly. Joao Felix bears little resemblance to Russell Crowe’s character in Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, but both men have the knack of winning over a demanding crowd and being used as memes on social media. The 23-year-old arrived at a difficult time for the team and the club. Confidence was at a low ebb and head coach Graham Potter’s position was under threat. Fans were making their feelings known in the stands and via email. It is hard for a flair player to, well, play with any flair in such circumstances, yet Felix has done that. Imagine what he will do in a team full of confidence. Unlike the vast majority of Chelsea’s new signings, Felix has not needed time to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge and the Premier League. The Portugal international has impressed since his debut despite being sent off at Fulham. The away fans at Craven Cottage that night saw enough to give him the honour of a specific chant. Chelsea have a rich history of players who can do something special, a trick, a shuffle of the hips to bewitch an opposing defender, an individual who justifies the cost of a ticket. People like Charlie Cooke, Pat Nevin, Gianfranco Zola and Eden Hazard. Joao Felix has a lot to do to be compared with those legends, but the talent is there. He provided supporters with a reason to keep going to games while their losing habit continued and has been a factor in Chelsea’s three-game winning streak, although he does need to sharpen up when it comes to defending the final third. His return of one goal and no assists does not do his performances justice. Luck has not been on his side, having hit the woodwork three times as well as having a strike ruled out by VAR for offside. Most importantly, Joao Felix is building up a promising understanding with like-minded technical players Havertz and Fernandez. Why break up such a trio? With at least two more months of the season to benefit from, things will surely only get better between them and crucially they will be ready to gel from day one of the next campaign. The grass is not always greener and it is quite a risk to think there is someone else better out there. Joao Felix has made it clear how happy he is at Chelsea and in London, hinting that he wants to turn it into a permanent move. Fernandez significantly recently said: “When you get on with someone, it helps on the field. He’s a great player. Let’s hope Chelsea can do all they can to keep hold of him.” Yes, it is going to be expensive, although the indications are that Atletico will be prepared to accept a figure in the region of £80million rather than anything close to the ridiculous release clause. Chelsea have other positions they want to strengthen, too, yet are planning a mass clear-out which should raise a significant amount of revenue and make the dressing room less congested. The club’s co-owners, who are willing to spend more in the transfer market, always had it in their minds to buy Joao Felix if he impresses and they are exploring the possibility. Who can blame them? I wouldn’t say no to a sequel.

Champions League quarter-finals: Predictions, players to watch and tactical talking points https://theathletic.com/4319877/2023/03/17/champions-league-quarter-final-predictions-players-watch/ The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals has thrown up intriguing ties: a clash between faded European aristocrats; a Guardiola-Bayern reunion; a trip back to Chelsea for Carlo Ancelotti; and a local squabble between two Serie A giants. We asked our experts Oliver Kay, James Horncastle, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, Nick Miller and Liam Tharme to analyse the major talking points and offer their predictions. Real Madrid v Chelsea Why is this tie worth watching? Horncastle: It’s a repeat of last season’s quarter-final, which set the tone for Madrid’s ‘most Madrid Champions League triumph’ in years. Chelsea under Todd Boehly remind me of early Perez Madrid: big spenders without giving due consideration to how the signings fit as a team. Stafford-Bloor: Chelsea are yet to develop the chemistry necessary to be cohesive on a full-time basis and Real are, and have been for a while now, capable of playing possum across a two-legged game, before taking advantage of whatever opportunity they’re given. It’s not a tie that promises incessant waves of quality, but it’s a virtual guarantee of great moments. Kay: I was in Madrid for the second leg of last season’s quarter-final and I found it extraordinary. Chelsea produced arguably the best performance of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure (including when they won it the previous season) and Madrid were atrocious as they went from 3-1 up on aggregate to 4-3 down before finally getting their act together. Hard to imagine similar drama this time, but here’s hoping. Miller: Carlo Ancelotti v Graham Potter is a real ‘nice guys of football management’ clash: you wonder if the younger man will be able to absorb his Chelsea predecessor’s ability to maintain that affability, while also being a serial winner. Tharme: Madrid have proved over the last few seasons that any Champions League tie involving them is worth watching. Even when they have looked down and out in previous knockout ties — notably in the second leg at home to Manchester City last season — their capacity to turn it on in the biggest moments is incredible. Which player on each side are you eager to watch? Horncastle: Fabio Capello was talking the other day about the best players of the post-Ronaldo-Messi generation. He put Kylian Mbappe head and shoulders above the rest and then name-checked Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior. It’s remarkable what Vinicius Jr has achieved at his age. He has hit new heights under Ancelotti. If Reece James is fit, I look forward to the battle on that flank. Kay: Luka Modric. There is a tendency for television commentators to overstate his influence on certain matches — I felt he only really started to dictate proceedings at Liverpool last month once Real were 4-2 up — but I’m nitpicking. He’s a phenomenon. To play the way he does at the age of 37, to be so calm and yet so decisive and creative while covering so much ground is extraordinary. For Chelsea, coming up against Modric is the perfect opportunity to find out more about Enzo Fernandez. As strange as it is to say this about someone who excelled in Argentina’s World Cup triumph, he’s still something of an unknown quantity at this level. Miller: We must drink in every last drop of Modric, but Eduardo Camavinga looked so assured against Liverpool. For Chelsea, it’s a big one for Fernandez. Stafford-Bloor: Mykhailo Mudryk for Chelsea, because we’ve really been starved of the opportunity to watch him since he moved to England for that big fee. But the fragments of his game are still thrilling in a way that promises to come together to produce something electric. For Madrid, well if you’re tired of Karim Benzema, you’re tired of football. Tharme: Vinicius Jr is on fire in Europe. He has already scored more goals (six) in the Champions League this season than in any previous campaign and he has 14 goals and 15 assists in 42 appearances overall in the competition — including the winner in the final last season. His playing relationship with Benzema is a sight to behold. For Chelsea, the enigmatic Joao Felix is facing his parent club’s (Atletico Madrid) local rivals and will be up against an aged midfield that has technical excellence but perhaps not mobility. Where will the game be decided? Horncastle: In midfield. Madrid have been written off for years because of the age of Modric and Toni Kroos. But fitness coach Antonio Pintus has extended their careers and they’re still able to run games. How Fernandez and Co measure up should be fun. Stafford-Bloor: Reece James v Vinicius Jr is probably the area to focus on. Vinicius Jr makes his own case; he’s become so destructive. But James’ delivery and movement is so important to Chelsea’s ability to mask their lack of a true goalscorer, which is to say nothing of the way he’ll have to patrol that right side and guard against pace and threat. Kay: I’ll agree with Seb. It’s James v Vinicius Jr. Trent Alexander-Arnold found Vinicius Jr too hot to handle in the previous round, which is probably a large part of why he was left out of the England squad in favour of James. We now get to find out whether James, whose season has been stop-start due to injury, can do any better. Miller: In the heads of the Chelsea players. Can they get over the psychological hold Real seem to have over the Champions League? They did in 2021, after all… Tharme: If Potter continues to play the Tuchel-esque 3-4-2-1 that he used against Borussia Dortmund then Chelsea will overload Madrid’s midfield three. Though a high-possession approach from Chelsea would play into Madrid’s likely game plan of mid-block-and-counter, so Potter will need to have his counter-press well drilled. Our predictions Kay: I didn’t think Real Madrid were a great team when they won it last year — and they certainly have not looked great in La Liga this season — but they were very impressive against Liverpool. In this competition, you have to fancy them. Stafford-Bloor: Real advance. Drama. Horncastle: Madrid’s history in this competition, not to mention that of Carlo Ancelotti, should automatically make them favourites at the start of every Champions League season. Miller: Real Madrid. Tharme: It feels incredibly naive and difficult to overlook Real, despite Chelsea’s recent improvements. Inter Milan v Benfica Why is this tie worth watching? Horncastle: This is a throwback to an age when Benfica and Inter ruled European football in the 1960s. It feels slightly odd to characterise Benfica as a revelation this season when they reached the same stage a year ago, but the team has come on leaps and bounds under Roger Schmidt despite selling Darwin Nunez and Enzo Fernandez. Kay: Inter haven’t reached this stage in the Champions League since 2011. Benfica haven’t reached the semi-finals since 1990. This is an incredible opportunity for two clubs who have adapted very differently to the challenges of the past decade: Benfica largely building around youth; Inter preferring experience. Stafford-Bloor: Benfica are the story. Honestly, they’re good enough to win the whole thing — and if they don’t, their football will mean they go down swinging. Miller: Novelty and nostalgia: these two haven’t faced each other in this competition since the 1965 final, which is fairly extraordinary; two historical giants of the European game going at it again. Tharme: At their best, Inter’s 3-5-2 and advancing wing-backs are really, really fun to watch. Their overall approach might look defence-first — they kept clean sheets, just, in both legs against Porto in the last round — but they are particularly threatening down both sides, especially when attacking a back four that they can overload. As for Benfica: goals. They scored seven in the round of 16 against Club Bruges — and only Napoli, Bayern and Liverpool scored more group-stage goals than them (16). Which player on each side are you eager to watch? Kay: I have a peculiar fascination with Benfica goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. I remember a scout telling me he was one to watch 10 years ago when he was a teenager in Stuttgart’s B team and then again when he went to Panathinaikos. He probably hasn’t quite reached the heights expected, but my fascination persists. Inter? That’s a harder question. They’re not really a team you particularly look forward to watching, are they? They have some very accomplished players, but, with respect to Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez, I wouldn’t say they’re a team that has me on the edge of my seat. Miller: Goncalo Ramos did it at the World Cup, he’s doing it in the league, he did it against Club Bruges, but it’s big-boy time now. The man he’ll be trying to beat: Andre Onana. Stafford-Bloor: Goncalo Ramos’s form has been a joy but, while this may sound silly in a few years’ time, I still don’t quite trust it. Instead — and this is sentimental — I’ll pick the resurgent Joao Mario and his opportunity to put his old side to the sword. That he’s still just 30 describes how young he was when he was prematurely anointed as one of the stars of his generation. It’s been a disappointing decade and he suffered through that difficult time at Inter, with curious loan spells in Russia and West Ham (as well as at Sporting CP) Now, though, he’s playing the best football of his career. Who doesn’t enjoy a redemption story? Horncastle: Andre Onana has replaced Inter captain Samir Handanovic in goal on merit. His quick-thinking distribution was magnificent away in Barcelona and he came up with huge saves in the Porto tie. As for Benfica, Antonio Silva has emerged as the next great centre-back to come through at the club. Expect him to fetch Ruben Dias-style money one day. Tharme: For those who like attacking full-backs, Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo is exciting. An ever-present for Schmidt’s side in Europe this season, he ranks joint top in the squad for chances created (14) in the Champions League this season and suits the 4-2-3-1 shape where he can overlap the left winger. Inter’s front two, Edin Dzeko (6ft 4in) and Martinez (5ft 9in) look like a typical ‘big man-little man’ strike partnership but both are capable of playing either role. Where will the game be decided? Miller: Martinez has been banging them in at home, but only has one in the Champions League this season — can he find his Euro shooting boots? Kay: Benfica coach Schmidt will know his team have to succeed where their great rivals Porto failed. Porto had so much possession in the second leg and so many half-chances, but Inter defended resolutely and kept them at bay across the whole tie. Benfica will have to hope Ramos, in particular, can prove more incisive. Stafford-Bloor: Probably Inter’s defence. Injuries have been an issue, but manager Simone Inzaghi’s back line hasn’t been stable enough this season, either in its personnel or performance. The Onana-Handanovic goalkeeping handover has been easier than anticipated but the whole department will need to improve. Horncastle: Benfica are super provocative in the final third and keep winning penalties, which is one of the reasons former Inter midfielder Mario is up to 21 goals in all competitions. Inter’s centre-backs will need to be on their best behaviour. Tharme: A 3-5-2 against a 4-2-3-1 always makes for a fascinating clash. How Benfica defend Inter’s wing-backs when they push on — and can overload their back four — will be critical. But Inter’s defence, with five clean sheets in eight Champions League games, will be a big test for Benfica’s firing attack. Our predictions Kay: This one feels like a coin toss. Benfica. No, Inter. No, Benfica. I’ll stick with my first answer. Benfica, with a flourish. Horncastle: Keep an eye on Inter. Let’s go early and make them a finalist. They’ll be reasonably satisfied with this draw and Inzaghi is a cup specialist. Inter were the first team to beat Napoli in the league this season and hammered Milan in the Super Cup and, most recently, Derby della Madonnina. Miller: Benfica. Stafford-Bloor: Benfica, with a flourish. Tharme: Really, really hard to call. Winner of the first leg takes it. Manchester City v Bayern Munich Why is this tie worth watching? Kay: It’s always fascinating to see how Manchester City cope with the intense pressure of the knockout stage. They were incredibly unfortunate to lose to Real Madrid in last season’s semi-final, but the agonising, spectacular nature of that stoppage-time collapse can only have added to the pressure they face this time. Stafford-Bloor: Pick your narrative: Guardiola vs Nagelsmann. Past vs Future. Haaland returning to Germany. Super League vs The Resistance. It’s the headline quarter-final and the one with the highest chance of producing this year’s winner. And if past knockout games have burrowed their way inside Guardiola’s mind, imagine how busy his synapses will be before this one? Horncastle: Well, Julia Roberts, if you’re reading this Pep remains the gold standard at Bayern. OK, he didn’t win the Champions League in Munich. Jupp Heynckes pulled off an unprecedented treble the season before he arrived, which kind of stole Pep’s thunder. But in terms of standards set, Pep is unmatched at the Allianz. Nagelsmann was supposed to get Bayern close to that level again, but they were eliminated by Villarreal last season (in the quarter-finals) and may relinquish their Bundesliga title this time around. Miller: To see whether Guardiola’s ongoing Champions League existential crisis with his current club can be worsened by ghosts of the Champions League existential crisis at his former club. Tharme: If you need convincing to watch this game, then football is probably not for you. Which player on each side are you eager to watch? Kay: Kevin De Bruyne. He has been up and down this season, but at his best — in the Manchester derby last October; against RB Leipzig the other night — he is a joy to watch, a wonderful combination of dynamism, creativity and skill. For Bayern, it’s Jamal Musiala. I love watching him dribble. He has had an outstanding season and looks better — physically stronger and more mature in his decision-making — every time I watch him. Stafford-Bloor: Musiala is magical. Not just effective in productivity terms, but an actual delight with the ball at his feet. He is the ethereal element — the drifting player who can hurt opponents in all sorts of ways from all sorts of positions. He’s a star already. In blue, it’s Haaland, but not for the obvious reasons. When he was at Dortmund, this kind of fixture sometimes made Haaland frustrated, given the team’s fragility. Now he has a backing cast to support him it really will be interesting to see how — or if — he delivers. Miller: Musiala is the predictable answer, but sometimes things are predictable because they are true. See also Haaland, who scored five times in seven games against Bayern in Germany. Horncastle: Musiala keeps going from strength to strength. I’ve already mentioned Vinicius Jr and we’re spoiled for imaginative players in the final third at the moment. Musiala has a total of 20 goals and assists in the Bundesliga alone this season. Wait until Boehly finds out he was once on Chelsea’s books. Joao Cancelo’s name is going to come up over the course of this tie, but I fancy watching the guy who took his place, Rico Lewis, purely because Pep is using him like he used Philipp Lahm and Joshua Kimmich. Tharme: In the (all-deserved) awe of Musiala, I think Kingsley Coman gets underrated. He scored the winner in the 2020 Champions League final and, playing as a left wing-back, netted the only goal in the round of 16 first leg away to PSG this season. For City, it’s De Bruyne’s time to shine. Where will the game be decided? Kay: In the mind. City are a brilliant team who seem to have developed a mental block in the Champions League knockout stage. When you think they’ve got over it, like last season against Real Madrid, it resurfaces. Stafford-Bloor: Let’s rattle through a list: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s ability to take chances at the same rate as Haaland; the partnership between Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano; the quality of the goalkeeping; and the fitness of players who neither team can afford to do without: Leon Goretzka, Musiala, De Bruyne, Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan. Miller: Inside the heads of the managers. Horncastle: Upamecano and De Ligt contained Messi and Mbappe. Let’s see how they cope with Haaland, who seems more involved in City’s play than before. Pep gave this glowing review to Sky Italia after his ‘manita’ against Leipzig: “It’s important he had 30 touches. Before he scored five goals and touched the ball seven times. I don’t like a striker that stays up there. I want them to be involved in the process of playing and play and play and play.” Tharme: The gut instinct is that Guardiola is bound to do something tactically or with personnel that is a little strange. Our predictions Kay: You can never underestimate Bayern, but I’m inclined to go with City here. All season long I’ve had them down as favourites to win it and, despite a very tough draw, I’ll stick with that. Stafford-Bloor: It’s City’s tie to lose, but they will. Horncastle: Choupo-Moting to have another one of those incongruously big Champions League moments. Miller: Bayern Munich. AC Milan v Napoli Why is this tie worth watching? Kay: For me, it brings out a certain nostalgia for the late 1980s — Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten v Diego Maradona and Careca — and an old bootlegged VHS tape I bought at a market in Cyprus. But these days it’s about Kvaradona, not Maradona. I cannot get enough of watching Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. It’s such an evocative clash anyway, but all the more so when Kvaratskhelia and Napoli are the most compelling team and most compelling story of this season. Stafford-Bloor: Perceived entitlement v an inferiority complex. It’s a tinder box of a fixture. Miller: For those of a certain vintage, the sight of Italian sides riding high in the Champions League brings a fuzzy nostalgic glow. Horncastle: It’s the current Italian champions against the next Italian champions, so this is the best Serie A has to offer. The game at San Siro earlier this season was fantastic and even though Milan lost, it ranks as one of their finest performances. Milan have changed system since then and it’ll be interesting to see what Napoli learn from the league encounter at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at the beginning of April (before the two Champions League games). Tharme: You’d be silly not to watch any game involving Napoli right now. Their 4-3-3 is fluid and dynamic and without any major weakness. They scored the most group-stage goals (20) of any team but had so much variety in them too. Which player on each side are you eager to watch? Kay: For Napoli, it has to be Kvaratskhelia. He’s such a pure talent, always trying those little twists, turns and the type of individualism and spontaneity that is so rare in the highly-prescribed football we see these days. The fact he has come so far from relative obscurity in such a short space of time adds to his appeal. For Milan, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Malick Thiaw. Stafford-Bloor: For Napoli, it’s still Victor Osimhen. He’s at that thrilling stage where nobody quite knows how good he can be. Tellingly, this season has seen him score goals at important times and that’s always a betrayal of emerging greatness, but the range of those goals… goodness me. It comes down to this: turn up to watch Osimhen at the moment and you might see something you haven’t seen before. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan might be Milan’s most important player — or certainly among them. Their win over Tottenham got consumed by the Antonio Conte fallout and just how wretched Spurs were, but without Maignan’s plunging save at the end to deny Harry Kane, Milan might not have gotten through at all. Horncastle: Luciano Spalletti teaches the regista role better than anyone in Europe. It’s enough to think of the work he did with David Pizarro at Roma and Marcelo Brozovic at Inter. He’s turned the diminutive Stanislav Lobotka into a Slovakian simulacrum of Andres Iniesta. Staying with the position, Milan’s Ismael Bennacer remains strangely under the radar even though Lobtoka himself recently revealed the Algerian to be one of the players he most enjoys watching. Game recognises game. Miller: English eyes will look at how Fikayo Tomori shackles that Napoli forward line in this context. You fear Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen may be picked off soon, so let’s enjoy them while they’re still together. Tharme: Napoli’s forward line gets all the praise but Kim Min-jae is the perfect blend of modern and old-fashioned centre-back. He tops the Napoli charts for clearances (31) and tackles plus interceptions (also 31) but ranks third for progressive passes (27). As for Milan, the Theo Hernandez–Rafael Leao combination continues to excite. Leao likes to roam inside and this makes space for Hernandez to overlap; he is the key cog in Milan’s slightly-limited attacking wheel. Where will the game be decided? Miller: In that Napoli left channel. Good luck Pierre Kalulu, or whoever has to keep tabs on the loping Georgian. Kay: No team in Europe is playing more thrilling, devastating football than Napoli under Spalletti. They just need to keep doing what they are doing and play to the strengths of that brilliant forward line. If they do that, it will be very hard for Milan’s young back line to deal with them. Stafford-Bloor: In the dressing room. Sometimes in European football — and this is especially true when teams from the same country face each other — the form team plays the history rather than the opposition. If the uninhibited Napoli of the season so far show up, then Milan are a huge outsider. If Spalletti and his players pay too much attention to those red and black stripes and the weight of what they’re on the cusp of, then it will be much more even. Horncastle: One of the reasons Napoli are so damn hard to play against is their press and the number of opposition defenders Spalletti’s attackers attract. A quick regain sets Kvaratskhelia up for one-v-ones against disorganised defenders. The way he dribbles and takes players on (eight Atalanta players tried and failed to stop his goal last weekend) often means markers have to abandon Osimhen. The Nigerian essentially does the same job for Kvara, drawing across a rabble of desperate defenders. Milan will have to keep their discipline and shape. Tharme: Milan need to shut down Napoli’s attack across all parts of the pitch. As practically every opponent of Napoli’s this season will tell you: that is easier said than done. Our predictions Kay: Unless they end up overwhelmed by the emotional wave they have been riding all season, I firmly expect Napoli to win this one — and to reach the final. Miller: Napoli. Stafford-Bloor: Milan with the upset. Somehow. Horncastle: This is uncharted territory for Napoli as a club. It isn’t for seven-time winners AC Milan (even if this young group of players is still relatively new to the competition). Ultimately, Milan’s season comes down to this and finishing in the top four. If they can leverage their football heritage in the way Madrid did to devastating effect last year, then who knows? Milan need Leao to finally deliver a statement performance in the Champions League. Tharme: Napoli to win both legs and reach the final. Maybe I am seduced by their style, but they look unstoppable. Our predictions for the final Kay: Manchester City v Napoli. Horncastle: Real Madrid v Inter. Tharme: Real Madrid v Napoli Stafford-Bloor: Bayern v Benfica. Miller: Bayern v Napoli.

Barcelona’s €200m problem: Gavi’s contract, La Liga conflict and a damaged brand https://theathletic.com/4308500/2023/03/15/barcelona-la-liga-conflict-gavi/ When they set out their financial budget for this season, Barcelona counted on reaching the Champions League quarter-finals at least. After they were knocked out of the group stage in the autumn, it left the club looking at a €20.2m (£17.8m; $21.7m) shortfall in expected revenue, so a new target was set: reaching the Europa League final would bring in roughly the same figure. Again, things did not go to plan. Elimination by Manchester United in the knockout round play-offs meant Barca earned just €500,000 from the competition. And unfortunately for them, that’s not where their financial worries end. In February, once the transfer window closed, La Liga published its latest round of salary limits that each member club must meet. These are calculated according to a club’s revenue and operating costs. Despite the January sale of Memphis Depay to Atletico Madrid and Gerard Pique’s November decision to retire, the amount Barcelona are allowed to spend on salaries actually went down to €648m, from €656m last summer. La Liga’s next calculations will come at the end of the season, and Barca are already braced for an even bigger drop. Club sources, who preferred to speak to The Athletic anonymously to protect their positions, estimate they will be allowed to spend between €450m and €500m on wages. This is why La Liga president Javier Tebas has been repeating his message that Barcelona need to lower their expenditure on wages by about €200m. And of course, now the club are having to respond to this amid the fallout following the news that Spanish public prosecutors have filed charges accusing the club of corruption over payments made to a former referee’s committee vice president. So there’s a lot to get through. Here’s the latest picture. No more levers? At the end of last season, Barca found themselves in a similar situation. They were €144m over La Liga’s salary limit and had to either lower the amount of money they spent on wages or quickly increase their revenue. They chose the latter, conducting a dramatic series of asset sales that came to be known as ‘pulling levers’. This included Barca selling a 25 per cent share of their TV rights for the next 25 years and a 49 per cent share of Barca Studios, its multimedia content arm. The sales were divided into four operations, with separate buyers. GO DEEPER Barcelona charged with corruption over payments to former referees chief The €737.5m raised solved the problem and even financed a €140m spend on new players. Raphinha arrived from Leeds United, Robert Lewandowski signed from Bayern Munich and centre-back Jules Kounde joined from Sevilla. Barca also picked up Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie from Chelsea and AC Milan on free transfers. But since then, La Liga has changed the rules. Pulling further financial levers is no longer as attractive an option. Regulations introduced in December mean the impact of any such asset sale on salary limits is now restricted. Regardless of true value, when it comes to calculating salary limits, anything over five per cent of a club’s total income will not count. In practical terms, it kills any prospect of a club raising a transformative amount of money, like Barcelona did last summer. However, the rule does not apply to any club departments that do not report profits or any new business branches that still don’t produce money for a club. This is an interesting detail to note in the context of Barcelona’s official TV channel, Barca TV, which runs at a deficit. Last January, local radio station SER Catalunya reported the club could be considering its sale as it could provide a “lever effect” in the numbers. However, senior club sources, who also wished to remain anonymous, were adamant this was not an option being considered. These same sources describe instead how Barca are planning to “increase income from marketing and sponsorship deals, matchday revenue and the club’s museum”, while also “trying to reduce expenditure as much as we can”. Speaking in February, they said that they are already expecting the club’s commercial department to report higher revenues than were forecast last summer, with more than €210m expected to come through sponsorship deals. They had budgeted €189m. But now that picture is more complicated. There has to be a question mark over the potential attractiveness of Barca’s brand given the latest scandal to break at the club, with Spanish public prosecutors filing corruption charges over payments made to former referees’ official Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. President Joan Laporta hinted at another option in an interview last year: the possibility of playing a series of sponsored friendly games abroad over the summer. “It might happen that we play one or two friendlies before June 30,” Laporta said. “We are getting a lot of proposals because Barcelona has recovered its pedigree, from an institutional and sporting point of view. It means there are a lot of investors considering this.” What about player sales? Last summer, Barca raised a lot of money through financial levers but there was also a big clear-out of unwanted players, both through sales and loan deals. This year, there will not be so many sales. In February, The Athletic went through the Barca squad to provide detailed updates on each player’s situation. Barca might consider selling Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie but are a long way from anything being decided yet. GO DEEPER Barcelona squad state of play: Who will stay and who will go this summer? In terms of expected arrivals, Barca are again keeping an eye on transfer targets whose contracts are expiring. That’s all they can really afford to do, especially as some of last year’s signings, including 34-year-old Lewandowski, agreed deals that would provide them with a salary increase before the start of 2023-24. Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan could be an option, although nothing has been agreed. Inigo Martinez will also be available on a free transfer this summer and Barca have been looking at the Athletic Bilbao defender. Laporta knows they will not be able to afford many big names this summer, and the emergence of Alejandro Balde and Gavi has shown what the academy can offer. Faith in La Masia, Barca’s famous youth system, is what club sources are stressing. And there is conflict to come There is another X-factor at play here: the tense relationship between Barca and La Liga, which is perhaps most strikingly illustrated by the recent drama over the status of star 18-year-old Gavi. The midfielder’s situation is a complex one. When Gavi signed a contract extension in September until 2026, he was still registered as an academy player. The new deal included a clause that would allow him to leave as a free agent if Barca had not registered him as a first-team player by June 30, 2023. GO DEEPER Barca risked losing Gavi for nothing. So they acted fast — and in secret Barca could only change his status to that of a first-team player during a transfer window. By late January, they had not managed to do so, with La Liga stating it could not be done as Barca were in breach of their salary limit rules. Just before the end of the window, Barca decided to seek a legal ruling, acting without La Liga’s knowledge, to try and force the competition body to register him as a first-team player. According to court documents, when presenting their case, Barca claimed La Liga’s decision to reject Gavi’s registration was part of “a harassment campaign” against the club. Barca were successful in their legal bid. On the very last day of the window, January 31, a Barcelona court ordered a temporary injunction that forced La Liga to register Gavi as a first-team player, while also giving the club 20 working days to file a separate case, through which a permanent resolution over the player’s status would be reached. Barcelona filed this on March 2. La Liga then challenged their submission, claiming they had missed the deadline by a day. On Monday, in a document addressed to both parties and seen by The Athletic, the court confirmed in La Liga’s favour, stating Barcelona did indeed file their documents after the deadline. But the court has given Barca five days to respond before making a final decision on whether Gavi’s registration should revert to its previous status — that of an academy player. If this were to happen, that clause agreed in September, allowing him to leave for nothing this summer, would come back into effect. Laporta and La Liga president Javier Tebas have also clashed over the recent corruption charges brought against Barca. Before those charges were made official, Tebas said: “If he [Laporta] does not justify properly or in a more reasonable way what has occurred, I believe he should resign.” Laporta used an institutional event at the club to hit back a few days later. “We had been advised that Tebas was promoting a campaign against Barcelona and myself as a president,” he said. “Now he’s shown his true colours. He is obsessed with Barca and has some sort of phobia with our club. “He can’t forgive us for rejecting his CVC deal. He can’t deal either with the fact we are backing the Super League. His aim is to control Barcelona from a distance, but he can’t do that with me in charge.” So everybody should be braced for more conflict. When it comes to the salary limit, Barca feel they are being treated unfairly, while La Liga question whether the club understands the financial rules.

hard pass

that was a great strike, wow

Napoli likely makes the final and they are NO pushover it's a shitshow draw I would say the 6 best teams on the planet atm are (no real order for the top 3) and Napoli is a solid 4th, they are 18 points clear at the top of Serie A after only 26 games played and Serie A has three teams in the final 8 in the CL Bayern Real Citeh Napoli Barca Arsenal and to win the CL we will have to beat 3 of the top 4

disasterclass draw for us 😞

ffs HORRID DRAW the only good thing is that of we make it to final we will not face one of the top 3 teams on the planet downside those 3 teams are in our 4 team side of the bracket!!!! FUCK!!!! only ways it could have been worse is if you had flipped Bayern and Napoli so we would have to beat all three in a row more than likely (or the same thing with different order Real flips with Napoli and then we face Bayern next) or flip Citeh and Napoli and we still face Real next or face Bayern next, the other in the semi and Citeh in the final)

I think De Paul would flourish next to Enzo. Do not get me wrong, De Paul is not a main target of mine.

Patrick O'Viera, lol

would prefer him (even though older) all day over Mac Alliser IF we are talking 2023 summer window by 2024, no (due to his age)

Chelsea tread familiar path by asking Mudryk to play outside his comfort zone https://theathletic.com/4307223/2023/03/15/mudryk-Chelsea-havertz-lukaku/ If you love someone, should you try to change them? It is a question that has been exercising relationship experts for decades. It is also one that has carried a peculiar relevance in recent years at Chelsea, where a series of high-profile, high-value, highly gifted attacking footballers have seen their dream moves to Stamford Bridge degrade into loveless marriages. The experience of watching Mykhailo Mudryk battle his own apparent confusion as well as the Leicester City defence as an experimental No 9 on Saturday should have felt familiar to Chelsea supporters — not least because his positioning was in part designed to keep Kai Havertz, a unique attacking midfielder who has spent much of the last two years being deployed as a striker, in his best role in Graham Potter’s 3-4-2-1 system. Until recently, Havertz had looked in increasing danger of being remembered as a disappointment at Chelsea, despite that Champions League winner in Porto in 2021; the image of him rounding Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson being slowly but steadily eroded by his more recent status as the point and the symbol of Europe’s most expensive toothless attack. Chelsea bought Havertz at the height of Roman Abramovich’s opportunistic final spending spree in the pandemic summer transfer window of 2020 — mostly because they could, not because they had a clear plan for him as Bayer Leverkusen had done. Frank Lampard deployed him as a No 8, a No 10, a right-winger and a false nine. Thomas Tuchel seemed to understand his nature as “a hybrid player” better than most, but defaulted towards playing him as a No 9 for the second half of his tenure. Only now, under Graham Potter, is he once again being used in a role that maximises his qualities. Not every Chelsea attacker is fortunate enough to get the chance to bring an unfulfilling story full circle. Just look at Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, the men Havertz effectively replaced as Tuchel’s preferred No 9. Werner attracted the attention of Liverpool and Chelsea as a prolific scorer at RB Leipzig in a bespoke tactical role crafted for him by Julian Nagelsmann — most often playing behind and to the left of a focal point No 9, a position from which he could pick up the ball between the lines and run at goal, drift out towards the left flank, arrive late in the box or run in behind. It quickly became clear Chelsea would not use him in the same way. Lampard deployed him either as a left-winger or as an alternative No 9 to Tammy Abraham in a 4-3-3. Tuchel initially fielded him much like Potter is using Raheem Sterling and Mudryk now, as the speedy striker tasked with stretching opposition defences and creating space between the lines for Havertz. Tactics were far from the only factor in Werner disappointing at Stamford Bridge. His blistering speed in big spaces and technical limitations in small ones always made him a more natural fit for the more transitional style of Bundesliga matches than for navigating the low blocks fielded by many of Chelsea’s opponents in the Premier League. But he also never felt entirely comfortable in the team. “The coach’s system of play didn’t suit me perfectly,” he said of Tuchel’s approach after returning to Leipzig. Then there is Lukaku. Cast your minds back to that notorious unsanctioned interview with Sky Italia in December 2021 that effectively ended his relationship with Tuchel and set him on a path back to Inter Milan on loan — what was his main source of frustration? “I’m not happy with the situation and that’s only natural,” he said. “The head coach has decided to play a different system and I mustn’t let up. I need to keep working hard and be professional. I’m not happy with the situation but I am a grafter. The coach can get me playing more but I have to respect the choices he makes. All I have to do is keep working and wait for my moment.” Lukaku appeared to have taken his game to another level in the two seasons before rejoining Chelsea under Antonio Conte at Inter, thriving alongside Lautaro Martinez in a counter-attacking 3-5-2 system that afforded him plenty of opportunities to do what he did best: receive the ball on the run in transitions and wreck scrambling opponents with his rare blend of direct speed, skill and overwhelming physicality. “Let me tell you why he’s so good,” Conte said of Lukaku during his own appearance as a pundit on Sky Italy three months earlier. “He’s a threat in the penalty area and you have to try and keep him away from it. But he’s also able to come into midfield and unleash his speed: he can be a focal point in the box but also break from midfield with his pace and quality.” Chelsea instead tried to re-cast Lukaku as a lone striker at the point of Tuchel’s attack, tasking him with pressing from the front and frequently linking play with his back to goal in a slower, more patient possession style not attuned to picking out his more direct runs. The results that followed a deceptively bright debut against Arsenal were at best underwhelming and at worst catastrophic, epitomised by a seven-touch disasterclass against Crystal Palace. There is almost always a significant period of adaptation for attacking players joining elite clubs. It is also true that the best attacking structures are rarely built around one star — unless that one star happens to be a Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappe-level talent. The ability to succeed in different contexts, and sometimes even different positions, is what can separate the attackers who have real staying power at the highest level from those who do not. Sometimes that challenge can come from a change in circumstances; Christian Pulisic was signed to replace Eden Hazard on the left of Maurizio Sarri’s 4-3-3, only for the Italian to be gone by the time he actually arrived at Stamford Bridge. Hakim Ziyech was acquired to play on the opposite flank in the same formation for Lampard, but has spent much of his Chelsea career since trying to find a clear role in a 3-4-2-1. Chelsea signing attacking players without a coherent idea of how best to use or fit them together is a tradition that dates back to the £50million signing of Fernando Torres from Liverpool in January 2011. Injury problems and a confidence crisis precipitated the Spaniard’s rapid decline at Stamford Bridge, but asking him to morph from the transition terror latching on to Steven Gerrard through balls into Didier Drogba’s target man successor hardly helped. Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are adamant that they will not follow Abramovich’s scattergun approach to recruitment and squad building. Potter’s recent return to 3-4-2-1, however, poses similar questions about their January transfer business. Noni Madueke at least played as a No 10 for much of his youth career in England before switching to the right flank at PSV Eindhoven, but Mudryk is as natural a modern winger as they come. Does either fit cleanly into this system? Perhaps the long-term outcome is that Potter will have a high-end chameleon of a squad capable of matching his tactical versatility, fielding different combinations of personnel in very different formations depending on the nature of the opponent, with no drop-off in performance. Or perhaps it will simply be incumbent upon every member of the squad to adapt positionally and tactically to a more consistent, clearly defined approach. Mudryk already appears to be in this situation as he navigates a mid-season adaptation to a new team in a new country. Potter offered some public words of encouragement after the Leicester win. “We’re positive about him,” Chelsea’s head coach said. “We’re positive about the future for him. But we need just to help them settle and help him understand what he needs to do to help us.” Understanding what Mudryk needs to do to help Chelsea might well require him to provide different things from the qualities that first marked him out as special at Shakhtar Donetsk — but that would be nothing new at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea delighted with Gabriel Slonina progress as ‘Gaga’ makes an impression https://theathletic.com/4307418/2023/03/16/slonina-Chelsea-chicago-fire/ Every day before and after training, Gabriel Slonina writes in his journal. Chelsea’s new goalkeeper, signed from Chicago Fire of MLS for an initial £8.1million ($10m) last summer, has followed the same routine for the past 11 years. Now 18, he has already filled 15 books with notes and continues to use them as a point of reference. He has not let up since moving to England. These diaries detail goals Slonina has set himself for the short, medium and long-term as well as particular aspects he wants to recall from training or games, both good and bad. One of the reasons he scribbles down his thoughts prior to a session is to help focus on what he wants to achieve that day, to ensure his career remains on an upward curve. It is early days for him at Chelsea, but clearly the exercise is paying off. Slonina, who comes across as mature for one so young, was signed very much with the future in mind. However, he is ambitious and has set sights on becoming the club’s and the USMNT’s No 1 one day. After signing in August, the teenager had to wait to work with his new team-mates as he was loaned back to Chicago until the end of the MLS season in November. He officially joined Graham Potter’s squad in January, but did benefit from an early taster of life at the club in October (Chicago failed to make the end-of-season title play-offs) when attending the away game at Brentford and Manchester United’s visit to Stamford Bridge three days later. He has settled down quickly in new surroundings. Living in a flat near the club’s training ground in Surrey, south of London — preferring there to the city centre, where there are far more distractions — he maintains a strict daily regime; bed by 10pm every night, and rising by 7am at the latest. He genuinely is one of the first players into the Cobham complex each day, and one of the last to leave. Slonina’s work ethic has not gone unnoticed, not least by Chelsea’s new American owners. Everyone at the club has got used to calling him ‘Gaga’, a nickname given to him by his family when he was a youngster and has nothing to do with the singer. The name stuck and he has even adopted it as his Twitter handle. Most of his week is spent training with the first team, working alongside Kepa Arrizabalaga, Edouard Mendy and Marcus Bettinelli, plus goalkeeping coaches Ben Roberts and Hilario. Those elder statesmen have given the youngster a warm welcome and are always on hand to answer his questions. Slonina recognises he has a lot to learn from them as he works to ascend to their level. Game time so far has been with the under-21s in Premier League 2. He has made four appearances to date and showcased his potential, conceding just once as Chelsea recorded three wins and a draw in those matches. There are five more fixtures this season and Slonina is expected to feature in the majority. The fact the under-21s are involved in a title battle with their Manchester City counterparts — Chelsea are a point ahead but City have two games in hand, and are at home to the west Londoners in mid-April — means there is an element of pressure on him to perform. The club will learn much from how he handles it. In a 1-0 home win over Arsenal last month, Slonina made his mark. It was not just the saves he made en route to a clean sheet, but he demonstrated an ability to pass the ball out from the back — a key quality all keepers must have these days. He was also not shy about shouting instructions to team-mates, commanding his back line efficiently. GO DEEPER The most vital skill for goalkeepers in 2023: Shot-stopping or distribution? Despite spending most of his time fraternising with the senior players, there is no sense of ego when he drops down to play with the development squad. When Leo Castledine scored the only goal of the game in the 86th minute that night against Arsenal, Slonina ran the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations as if he had been playing with them for years. Under-21s coach Mark Robinson is certainly impressed by what he has seen so far. “He’s got a fantastic attitude,” Robinson tells The Athletic. “He does not train with us that often, but when he does he integrates himself into the group brilliantly. It’s not that he just comes in, plays a game and goes back — that it is just a match for him. You saw that in his celebrations against Arsenal — that is what you want. Someone totally invested in what you are doing. “You can see he has developed bonds with the other players, celebrating when they do a block or a tackle in front of him. He only trains with us once a week but he has made a real effort to bond with everyone; buying into what we are doing, asking questions. He goes out of his way to come to find us to ask extra things. That is what you need. “His performance against Arsenal was his best game for us. The way he commanded everything. It can take a bit of time. We are asking him to play quite high at times to join in with possession and to do things that perhaps he was not asked to do at his previous club. He is totally invested. He is brilliant, a pleasure to have around, and feels part of the group.” Slonina’s confidence is hardly a surprise. After becoming the youngest goalkeeper to make his debut in MLS at 17 years and 81 days in August 2021, in January he became the youngest ’keeper to play for the U.S. senior team, earning his first cap in a friendly against Serbia aged just 18 years and 255 days. He had hoped to be named in the squad again this month for CONCACAF Nations League games against Grenada and El Salvador, though he didn’t make Mark Hudson’s squad of 24. Another target on the horizon is the Under-20s World Cup, which begins in Indonesia in May and June. Just like compatriot Christian Pulisic, Slonina is aware his progress will draw even greater scrutiny in his homeland after such a high-profile transfer to Chelsea. Meditation, another activity he took up a few years ago, helps block out any noise from the outside and allows him to retain focus on progression. It was this time last year that Slonina feared his dream move to Stamford Bridge was going to fall through. Most of the work over a transfer had already been done in the January with former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, then the club’s technical and performance advisor, key to negotiations. Cech is one of Slonina’s idols, a player whose game he studied growing up, so to receive a call from the man himself saying how much he was wanted by, and would fit in at, Chelsea was obviously a telling factor in his decision to leave Chicago. But the deal was put on hold when then-owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned and the club got put up for sale. For a while it looked like Real Madrid would sign him instead, but as soon as the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium bought Chelsea last May, it was made clear to Slonina how much they wanted to revive the move. He did not think twice — Cech, plus Hilario, ultimately made the difference. When the switch was complete, Cech sent a message congratulating and wishing him all the best, even though by that point he had left the club. Clearly, Slonina has no regrets. “It’s gone great so far,” he told the club’s website last month. “All the goalkeepers, the entire coaching staff and the team are top professionals. They want you to improve, so being around that environment has been amazing. I think I’ve made huge strides, improving as a player and in a personal field, so hopefully I continue to keep doing that working with this group of guys. “I think I’ve improved in everything; just being able to see the little things that I didn’t even think about before and working on those, tweaking them to make me quicker, to make me stronger, to make me more powerful. “After I signed in August it’s been an incredible journey and, honestly, it still doesn’t feel real, coming in and training at the Chelsea facilities. I watched this team growing up and it’s a dream come true.” Inevitably, fans will wonder what happens next. Slonina is currently fourth in the first-team pecking order at Chelsea, although there is a good chance at least two of the three men ahead of him will leave in the summer — Bettinelli’s contract runs out in June and there is a strong possibility Mendy, first choice for the previous two seasons, will be sold after being relegated to No 2 behind Kepa by Potter. However, Chelsea are considering buying a goalkeeper, so that may impact on the young American. As things stand, a decision on whether he stays to be one of three in the senior squad for 2023-24 or goes out on loan will wait until pre-season is well underway. Until then, as he will have noted in his diary, life at Chelsea has been so far, so good.

lol, we are hiring many of the great German and Austrian footballing administrative and recruiting/scouting minds the only one we have missed so far that we tried and failed on was the first and the biggest Christoph Freund, the sporting director at RB Salzburg I still hope we can pull him someday I think he is a genius

Main question with him are those gambling charges and his age (turned 27yo today) I think in terms of player talent, we could do far worse, I love his game he is on my final lists for CF these are the CFs I rate to buy who are remotely available and who are great at pressing (so that rules Dušan Vlahović out) in order of my preference of purchase Victor Osimhen (24yo, turns 25 in December) Rasmus Højlund (super pace, size) (just turned 20yo, MONSTER potential, already scoring a lot for Atalanta, perhaps will be a mini Håland, and he is hardly mini, he is 1.91/1.92m, so over 6 feet 3 inches) Ivan Toney (as long as the betting shit is sorted) today is his 27th birthday, so its buy or not this summer, as he has only 2 full sub 30yo season left, buying him in summer 2024 when he is 28 and a half or so is playing with fire for the price he will still command Jonathan David (just turned 23yo 2 months ago) Randal Kolo Muani (24yo, turns 25 in December, he is 24 days older than Osimhen)

40m euros (£35m) and they sell, I wager

£70m for Mount and I am popping champagne. The good stuff.

lol at all the sadness over the bindippers by the pundits on the telly