Latest news with #CHELSEA
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Chelsea's Maresca praises Fernandez before Benfica Club World Cup clash
CHELSEA manager Enzo Maresca has praised midfielder Enzo Fernandez ahead of their Club World Cup last-16 clash against Benfica, the Argentinian's former club. Speaking to reporters in Charlotte, Maresca highlighted Fernandez's professionalism and growing influence in the team. 'I am very pleased with Enzo especially because first of all he is a nice and polite boy, and then with us since we started he has been working very well in every aspect on and off the pitch,' Maresca said. Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for a then-British record fee of £107 million, has been instrumental this season. The 24-year-old contributed to 14 goals in 2025, including a crucial strike in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup group stage. 'This season he struggled a bit at the beginning to understand the way we want to play but (since) then he is doing fantastic also in terms of numbers, goals and assists,' Maresca added. Chelsea face Benfica on Saturday, a team they have beaten in all three previous competitive meetings. However, Maresca remains cautious after Benfica's impressive victory over Bayern Munich in the group stage. 'I think Benfica, not only in this competition, have always shown how big a club they are in Europe,' Maresca said. 'In the last game they beat Bayern so they showed what they can do.' A win would send Chelsea to Philadelphia for a quarter-final on July 4.
New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Chelsea's Club World Cup travel plan derailed by group-stage slip-up
CHELSEA are facing a logistical headache at the Club World Cup after finishing second in their group, forcing an unexpected trip to Charlotte for their last 16 match instead of staying in Miami, where the club thought they would be based for the knockout stage. A club source told Reuters that travel, accommodation and training arrangements were all made with the assumption that the West Londoners would top Group D and play their round of 16 match at Hard Rock Stadium. Instead, after a 3-1 loss to Brazil's Flamengo and only managing second place despite a 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis in their final group stage fixture in Philadelphia, Chelsea will now face Benfica on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium. The detour means reorganising bookings and schedules at short notice, but the club still intends to return to its Miami base after the match, adding more miles to an already hectic itinerary. If Enzo Maresca's side reach the quarter-finals, they will return to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to face the winner of the all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo. — REUTERS
Scottish Sun
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Chelsea on verge of £55.5m Jamie Gittens transfer with deal for Dortmund star expected next week
Meanwhile, Tosin Adarabioyo has a message for Cole Palmer GITT IN THERE Chelsea on verge of £55.5m Jamie Gittens transfer with deal for Dortmund star expected next week Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA are close to landing Jamie Gittens for £55.5million from Borussia Dortmund. Both clubs, who are at the Club World Cup in the United States, have been locked in talks in the last 48 hours and should reach an agreement next week. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Borussia Dortmund ace Jamie Gittens is on the verge of joining Chelsea Credit: Alamy Gittens, 20, is ready to end his four-year stint in Germany and return to the club where he was once part of the youth set-up. Chelsea were hoping to secure the England Under-21 international for £50m with add-ons but the deal will cost more. Gittens has struggled with illness and hardly played in the USA. The Blues have already spent £1.4billion to assemble their current squad, but club transfer chiefs are desperate to bring their former youth star back home. READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS TRAGIC END Ex-Chelsea star offers to help family of tourist who fell into volcano crater Reports suggest they have tabled a seven-year offer to tempt him into a Stamford Bridge return, despite a £42million bid being rejected earlier this month. Gittens - who changed his surname from Bynoe-Gittens on the advice of his father - enjoyed a breakout season with Dortmund. Across 48 games in all competitions before the Club World Cup, 34 of which he started, the England youth star netted 12 goals and added five assists. In October, at 20 years and 75 days old, Gittens became the youngest English player to score against Real Madrid in the Champions League. 4 Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge Gittens joins new Dortmund team-mate Jobe Bellingham and Chelsea's Liam Delap in a list full of players who couldn't join England's Under-21s at the Euros this summer. Despite several high profile absences, the young Three Lions have made the Euros final yet again, where they hope to retain their title when they face off against Germany on Saturday night. 15 year old Jamie Bynoe-Gittens shows why he is such a special player at Man City Meanwhile, Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo insists Cole Palmer CAN handle the hype of being the club's 'superstar'. The pair were pals at Manchester City, even though Tosin, 27, is four years older. Fifa have used the face of Palmer on every poster plugging Blues' games at the Club World Cup, including Saturday's last- 16 clash with Benfica. Tosin said: 'I banter him sometimes and tell him he's a little superstar. But he handles it very well and he knows his focus is on football.' 4 Gittens won the Under-19 European Championships with England 4 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Chelsea blow as Nicolas Jackson has ban UPGRADED after red card for Club World Cup horror tackle
SEEING RED Chelsea blow as Nicolas Jackson has ban UPGRADED after red card for Club World Cup horror tackle Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA star Nicolas Jackson has had his red card suspension upgraded. The striker was sent off for a reckless tackle in the 3-1 Club World Cup defeat to Flamengo on Friday. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Nicolas Jackson has had his ban extended Credit: Getty Jackson was set to be only be banned for the Blues' final group stage clash against ES Tunis in the early hours of Wednesday morning. But the Fifa Disciplinary Committee has now extended the ban to two games. It means Jackson will miss Chelsea's last-16 match should they progress from Group D. The decision to upgraded the punishment cannot be appealed. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Chelsea blow as Nicolas Jackson has ban UPGRADED after red card for Club World Cup horror tackle
CHELSEA star Nicolas Jackson has had his red card suspension upgraded. The striker was sent off for a reckless tackle in the 3-1 Club World Cup defeat to Flamengo on Friday. 1 Nicolas Jackson has had his ban extended Credit: Getty Jackson was set to be only be banned for the Blues' final group stage clash against ES Tunis in the early hours of Wednesday morning. But the Fifa Disciplinary Committee has now extended the ban to two games. It means Jackson will miss Chelsea's last-16 match should they progress from Group D. The decision to upgraded the punishment cannot be appealed. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
