petre.ispirescu

What a massive game this. Come on Chels I feel Demba is in for a big game #DareToDemba!!!

THIS! There are few people that know about details of this business, but Bir CFC explained the situation well. And I would like to add that it's not that easy to deal will a club when a release clause is involved. I mean, it's not like faxing the offer that matches the release clause and the player is yours. The club has to accept that offer too, even if a release clause is involved. The best example I can give you is Dnipro's Konoplyanka - Liverpool triggered his release clause, but Dnepr's owner refused to let him go. Why? I can't tell. Fucked up situations with these release clauses, I know As for the source, I can tell you El Confidencial is a respected newspaper in Spain. Not at the same level as El Pais and El Mundo, but a decent one, with trustable journalists. To be more clear, is the opposite of Daily Mail. They have an approach for the economical and financial area and they work with numbers. A lot of numbers. It's not a newspaper for everyone, the suits are their main target. You won't see guys reading it in the bus or at the Mc'Donalds. They do not come with football stories very often, but when they do, they are right most of the times. As I said, real life football is different from Football Manager, the game. When you decide to buy a player, you go and do your homework first. You try to find out what the club is up to, do they want to sell that player, or do they want him to stay? You talk to agents, see if the player wants to leave and so on, it's not that simple. I bet Jose would go for Cavani if he'd be available, but my guess is he has clear signals Paris won't let him go in the summer.

El Confidencial saying Chelsea and Atletico have reached an agreement for Diego Costa. http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/futbol/2014-04-12/mourinho-se-ha-asegurado-un-acuerdo-con-diego-costa-para-la-proxima-temporada_115807/

Some of you do have a tendency to think real life football is similar to that game, Football Manager. I think those players you mentioned - Rakitic, Kovacic, Delph, Belhanda and many others are not even on Mourinho's radar tbh. IF Jose will try to buy someone to partner Matic, then be sure it will be some world-class CM, a proven guy that can play in the pivot (Modric, Vidal etc). That area of the pitch is the most important part in Jose's philosophy and I don't think he'll go for a 20 year-old guy there, or some random midfielder playing for mid-table teams in Spain, France or Italy. And one more thing - I don't know why Jose would sign another young player for the pivot when there are already plenty of talented guys at Chelsea - Chalobah, Baker, Loftus-Cheek, Swift. I'd take any of those over Kovacic at any time.

Gotta admit I kinda panicked seeing this guy bumping the topic. Phew.

Now is your time Wigan. Finish the fucking gunners off!

Vamooooooooooos Jordi!!!!!! here we go

Deulofeu YESSSSSSSSSS! GET IN!

TBH, I kinda have mixed feelings about this one, too. I would want Liverpool to win so that can Chelsea would stay in the title race, but at the same time I think I'll vomit my stomach out if they win the title. So I think I'll just skip the game and stream in the 80th minute. And cheer for whoever is leading. If Liverpool is leading then so be it, more chances for Chelsea to win the league. If City is leading then it's ok, too. I really don't give a crap if they win the thing.

What a massive advantage would be if Gabi, Koke and Juanfran will get booked in Madrid. Jose will have a plan for those three for sure.

Very hard, but not impossible IMO. You know Madrid, another season without a major trophy and they'll start selling and buying again, as they always do. Not to mention Carlo, he will 100% pack his bags if Real won't win one of La Liga or Champions League. Wait until May. If Barcelona will win the league and hopefully Chelsea will lift the Champions League trophy, then we can start talking business. Carlo will go, those deluded fans will be pissed off (again!), some players will go too and probably they will start searching for players who are worth a fortune (Pogba, Vidal etc). Still a long way to go, but I'd take my chances if these things happen. Matic - Modric

Finished reading "I am Zlatan". "Man management" in the English dictionary should be described as "Jose Mourinho". Simple as that. man management - noun - the control and organization of people who work in a business or organization Jose Mourinho Great reading BTW. Not a day goes by without finding out another great player that hates Guardiola. So glad Roman gave up o signing him. Or he refused signing for Chelsea. Either way, great decision.

Courtois, Casillas, Neuer, Yashin, Zoff, Zubi, Kahn, bring 'em all, we don't care whoever they may be 'CAUSE WE ARE THE FAMOUS CFC! But this is fucked up IMO, I mean you don't give a shit if Bangoura plays for Elfsborg, but all of a sudden you care about Courtois. Something is wrong, but I just wish this has something to do with Diego Costa too. I won't mind Courtois playing if Gourlay manages to work on a discount for Costa. After all is pure business and Chelsea has done some pretty good deals in the last year TBH.

Now we can all start dreaming again! Massive 2nd game at the Bridge. Tough team to beat, but not tougher than Bayern and Real Madrid. Champions of Europe, we've done it before!

Why would Chelsea do that? It's not like Chelsea is scoring for fun atm, Jose already has some poor strikers at his disposal, let them face Aranzubia, not a top GK.

Yep, I was expecting SOME money, but not that much tbh Well done Chelsea, last thing I'd want is Courtois to knock us out with some huge saves at the Bridge.

Didn't expect that. Basically it's the same amount Chelsea paid to sign Courtois from Genk.

It's supposed to be a Canal+ advertising with Messi - "Follow the Champions League from home (like Messi does)"

HAHAHAHAHA

UEFA has no rule about on-loan players facing parent clubs. It's up to the player's contract. This is a similar situation to the one in Monte Carlo when Courtois played against Chelsea. Atletico chose to pay that fee and they will surely do the same if Chelsea will face Atletico in the Semi-final or the Final. I mean, they've payed that fee for the SuperCup, wich is just a glorified friendly IMO, they would be nuts not to pay that fee now. It's not like the fee is £3m, maybe it's something like 20% of Courtois' salary or things like that. He will play for sure.

Wow, double whammy for Paris fans - 1st it was their team that went out, now the team they are trying to replicate. Sad days in Paris. Man I just can't forget those deluded French fans saying "Paris is playing like Barcelona now, 70% possesion, no team can touch the ball."

This! Just sign the guy when the transfer window reopens and then Jose will have the entire summer to sort out his role in the team. It would be an absolute steal for £29m.

I don't know about you, but every time I watch this guy playing, or watch highlights of his game, it reminds me of a young Van Persie in his early days at Arsenal (2005/06). Left-footed player, same poacher's instincts and the most common thing about these two is the style of their running. I don't know how to describe it, but the way Bamford runs and holds his hands just makes me think of RvP. Way to go until he hits the jackpot like RVP did, but I wouldn't mind Bamford developing into the same type of player.

Let the kid rest against Sunderland too. If Spurs can put five past that team, I'm sure Chelsea won't have to rely on Hazard to win against that lot.

Why not Atleti? I know they are a wonderful team with a great coach, but if you ask me, they are at the same level with PSG, maybe with a slight advantage for Atleti because of a better league they are competing in. But Chelsea do have something they don't - Mourinho and European experience. Fingers crossed for Atleti tonight. I'd rather have them than Bayern or Madrid.