Sports

Chelsea Squeeze Into Conference Semis Despite Legia Defeat

Published

6 months ago

April 17, 2025

Chelsea edged into the UEFA Conference League semi-finals on Thursday when a 2-1 home defeat by Legia Warsaw was enough for a 4-2 aggregate win.

Chelsea went 1-0 down to a 10th minute penalty before Marc Cucurella’s close-range equaliser on 33, but French defender Steve Kapuadi put the Poles ahead again in the 53rd minute with what proved to be the winner on the night.

Legia had a lively following at Stamford Bridge with flares and shirtless chanting from around 1,000 clearly delighted fans.

Thanks to their 3-0 win in Poland a week ago Chelsea however will next face Sweden’s Djurgardens, who thumped 10-man Rapid Vienna 4-1 away in extra-time their second leg.

A penalty by Czech forward Tomas Pekhart gave Legia the lead before Cucurella levelled and then saw a goal ruled out by VAR before Kapuadi’s winner.

The manner in which Chelsea were defeated at home by the team currently fifth in the Polish Ekstraklasa, does not bode well for their Premier League top-five bid as coach Enzo Maresca’s problems continued to mount.

But Chelsea remain favourites to join Roma, West Ham and Olympiakos as winners of the third-tier European competition.

Twice runners-up Fiorentina drew 2-2 in a see-saw match with Slovenians Celje, going 1-0 up in the first half before slipping to 2-1 down with on form Moise Keane scoring the clincher for a 4-3 aggregate win.

In their semi they face in-form La Liga side Real Betis who drew 1-1 at home to secure a 3-1 aggregate win over Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard

Published

8 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

Barcelona legend, Gerard Piqué has said that Brazil legend, Neymar could have won the Ballon d’Or had he remained at the Catalan side a little longer.

Neymar left Barça for PSG in 2017, becoming the costliest player in the world.

Pique said that the move stopped the Brazilian from winning the Ballon d’Or.

He said that the superstar footballer actually deserved to win the France Football award in his career.

Speaking on the PodPah podcast, Pique, who was Neymar’s teammate for many years at Barcelona, said he tried to convince the Brazilian not to make the move but the former PSG star did not listen to him.

“I’m convinced he deserved a Ballon d’Or. I think going to PSG hurt him. We tried to convince him not to go, we did everything possible.

“Everyone thought he was going to stay, even me, but it seemed that it was already decided. In the end, he had an incredible career,” he said.

The Brazilian was at Camp Nou until 2017 when he decided to move to PSG who were willing to activate his €222 million release clause.

He left for Al-Hilal in 2023 and returned to Brazil with Santos in 2025.

Sports

Lionel Messi Names 10 Best Young Players Currently

Published

8 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

Argentina and Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi, has named the 10 players he sees as future stars.

The legendary attacker has players from Chelsea and Liverpool in his list.

As part of an Adidas campaign, the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner was asked to name the players he deems the next big stars in the game.

The Inter Miami goal king partnering with Adidas Football for the ‘Messi+10: Season 2’ campaign named his 10 best rising stars.

He named Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez, also of Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder, Brajan Gruda.

Others are Nico Paz (Como), Rodrigo Mora (Porto), Mika Godts (Ajax Amsterdam), and Kader Meite (Stade Rennes).

He named two female players, Barcelona’s Clara Serrajordi and Olympique Lyon’s Lily Yohannes.

Messi made a similar selection in 2024 to include Lamine Yamal, Antonio Nusa and Kenan Yildiz.

Sports

2026 World Cup: Why ‘England Can’t Win Trophy’ – Paul Scholes

Published

8 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

Former England international, Paul Scholes, has said that the country stands no chance of winning the 2026 World Cup to be hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

England became the first European country to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday after beating Latvia 5 goals to nothing.

Scholes said Thomas Tuchel’s team has ‘no chance’ of winning the tournament unless the German gaffer brings his ‘three best players’ back into the squad.

Tuchel will now be hoping to lead England to their first major trophy in men’s football since 1966.

The former Chelsea manager was appointed as Sir Gareth Southgate’s successor last year.

England made it to two European Championship finals and two World Cup semi-finals under Southgate but failed to lift those trophies.

But former Manchester United midfielder, Scholes believes that England has ‘no chance’ unless Tuchel brings his ‘three best players’ back into the fold.

Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were left out of the team for their last matches.

“I was a little bit surprised. Those three players, they have to be in his squad and they will be in his squad for the World Cup,” Scholes said on The Overlap.

“If you look at the squad now, you would say they have virtually no chance of winning the World Cup. Even with those three players it’s still a big ask but it gives you more of a chance of winning the cup.

“Jude Bellingham has missed a little bit of football but he’s fit now so I would have brought him back in.

“Thomas Tuchel hasn’t got many games left now until the World Cup actually starts, it’s only the November break and then the March one and then we’re there so we need to get these players playing.”

While announcing his squad for the last international break, Tuchel insisted he had ‘no problem’ with the omitted players, especially Bellingham.