Tag Archives: Galatasaray

Eden Hazard only considers Arsenal and Manchester United as real threats

When it comes to winning the Premier League title of the current season, Chelsea are the favorites as Antonio Conte has led his team to the top of the English League with 56 points secured from the 23 opening league matches that they have played so far.


Tottenham Hotspur is sitting in 2nd place with 47 points, Arsenal in 3rd also with 47 points, Liverpool in 4th place with 46 points, Manchester City also has 46 points and Manchester United is slightly behind the rest of the table-toppers with 42 points.

Eden Hazard believes that despite Manchester United falling behind in the English Premier League standings, they are one of the main teams that Chelsea should be worried about along with Arsenal.

‘’I think Arsenal and Manchester United are the biggest title rivals. United had a bad first part of the season and I think for a couple of games now, they played well. They drew against Stoke, but they have good players and the squad is very good. The manager is good, so they will be second or third. Tottenham also are strong. We lost there, but for me it is more Manchester United. They are more experienced. That is my opinion, maybe I’m wrong’’ Chelsea’s Eden Hazard said. Continue reading →

Posted on February 7, 2017 by by

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Guus Hiddink happy with Campaign Second Half

The second half of the campaign has been excellent for Chelsea, according to interim manager Guus Hiddink.


He replaced Jose Mourinho midway through the campaign. At the time of his arrival, there was even a possibility of relegation battle for Chelsea. Such was the incredible fall from grace for the 2015-16 champions that Hiddink was largely expected to not make much of an impact in terms of league position. This has been true to a certain extent, as Chelsea have been only able to make it back into the top 10 of the table.

They have missed out on top four qualification and will not be playing in the Champions League or Europa League next season. This will be the first time Chelsea are without any form of European football since the arrival of Roman Abramovich in 2003. However, Hiddink says that the damage was done in the first half of the season. Since his arrival, Chelsea have lost only a handful of matches in all competitions. Just like in his first spell as the interim manager, Hiddink has revealed that he will not be staying at the club beyond the end of the campaign. The club decided to go for Italy boss Antonio Conte on a three-year contract. Continue reading →

Posted on May 20, 2016 by by

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Preview: Lampard on Galatasaray

Chelsea Enthusiasts Video clip Rating: four / 5

Posted on March 22, 2014 by by

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Lampard relishing title race

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is delighted that the club are back in the title race this season, and is relishing the end of season run-in, according to Sky Sports.

The club were fourteen points adrift of champions Manchester United last season, while they were twenty-five short of Manchester City’s winning tally of eighty-nine points in the 2011-12 campaign.

However, with eight games left to play, they are in pole position, four points ahead of both Arsenal and Liverpool and six in front of Manchester City, and despite those sides having games in hand over the Blues, Lampard is up for the fight.

Meanwhile, Didier Drogba believes that his former club are on course for success, and that Jose Mourinho can build “another great team” at Stamford Bridge, the Daily Star understands.

The Ivory Coast international, who returned to his former stomping ground on Tuesday evening as his Galatasaray side crashed out of the Champions League, has been strongly linked with a return to Chelsea in some capacity in the future.

Elsewhere, the club have been linked with a move for Southampton striker Sam Gallagher, according to the Metro.

The teenage, who is the latest in a long line of young talents to break into the Saints’ first team, scored his first Premier League goal in a 4-2 win over Norwich City last weekend.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by by

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Chelsea through to Champions League last eight

Chelsea eased into the Champions League quarter finals after beating Galatasaray 2-0 in the second leg of their last sixteen tie at Stamford Bridge yesterday evening.

With the sides having drawn 1-1 in Istanbul three weeks ago, it was the Premier League leaders who made the breakthrough through Samuel Eto’o after just four minutes.

Gary Cahill doubled the hosts’ advantage three minutes before the break, thumping in after John Terry’s initial effort was saved by Fernando Musilera.

Didier Drogba, who was given a rousing reception by the home supporters on his first return to Stamford Bridge since leaving the club at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, had a chance to pull one back for Roberto Mancini’s side late on which he failed to convert.

The Blues will discover who they will face in the last eight of the competition on Friday, twenty-four hours before they return to domestic action with their top of the table clash with Arsenal.

Manager Jose Mourinho has told Sky Sports that “it doesn’t matter who” the club are drawn against in the quarter finals.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint Germain and holders Bayern Munich are already in the hat for the draw along with the Blues, and they will be joined by either Manchester United or Olympiakos and Zenit St Petersburg or Borussia Dortmund, with the final round of last sixteen ties taking place this evening.

Posted on March 19, 2014 by by

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Blues set for Galatasary clash

Chelsea are expected to include both Ramires and Willian in their starting line-up for this evening’s Champions League last sixteen second leg against Galatasaray, with both midfielder suspended for Saturday’s clash with Arsenal.

Ashley Cole is doubtful having been absent from training on Monday, though David Luiz is fit and could replace the cup-tied Nemanja Matic, while Mohammed Salah is also ineligible having represented Basel earlier in the competition.

Former Blues forward Didier Drogba is expected to start for the visitors, with the tie finely poised following the 1-1 draw in the first leg in Istanbul three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is confident that the Ivory Coast international will return to the club in some capacity in the future, according to the Metro.

This evening will see Drogba return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving the club following their triumph in the final of this competition in May 2012.

The forward, who was taken to London from Marseille by Mourinho in 2004, scored 157 goals in 341 appearances, plus the winning penalty in the shoot-out victory against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

The Blues boss believes that the 36 year old will return at some point as either ‘a player, coach or ambassador’.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by by

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Blues lead at the summit cut to four points

Chelsea’s hopes of winning a first league title in four years were dealt a blow at the weekend as they lost 1-0 at Aston Villa.

Fabian Delph’s back-heel eight minutes from time was enough to secure all three points for Paul Lambert’s side, who moved into the top half of the table.

However, the Blues’ lead at the top has been cut to four points, with second place Liverpool and third place Arsenal winning at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, whilst fourth place Manchester City, who also took all three points from their game at Hull City, are a further two behind.

All three of the chasing pack have games in hand over Chelsea; one in the case of Liverpool and Arsenal and three for Manuel Pellegrini’s men who have been reinstalled as favourites by the bookmakers.

 The Blues will now turn their attention to tomorrow evening’s Champions League last sixteen second leg with Galatasary, before returning to league action against Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.

Lose to the Gunners, they could fall to as low as fourth by the time of thier game at Crystal Palace the following weekend, with the other sides in the Champions League places all playing in midweek.

Posted on March 17, 2014 by by

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Roma in for Drogba

Roma are considering moving for former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Mirror understands.

The Ivory Coast international has been with Galatasaray since last January, scoring twenty goals in fifty appearances in all competitions, but is set to move on in the summer.

Drogba has previously spoke of his desire to one day return to Stamford Bridge, though the Serie A side, who are set to return to the Champions League after a three year absence next season, are reportedly set to offer the 36 year old a lucrative one-year deal.

Meanwhile, Zenit St Petersburg have given Brazilian striker Hulk the green light to move to the Premier League next season, according to the Express.

Jose Mourinho, who is almost certain to be in the market for a new striker in the summer, is a long-time admirer of the 27 year old, who has scored nine goals in fifteen league outings for the Russian champions so far this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have also been lined with a move for the former Porto man, with a price of £40m set to be enough to secure his services in the summer.

Posted on March 13, 2014 by by

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Chelsea move seven clear in the race for the title

Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points by beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

After a goalless first half Samuel Eto’o, who was only on the field as Fernando Torres withdrew after picking up an injury in the pre-match warm up, put the hosts in front eleven minutes after the break.

Eden Hazard fired in his fifteenth goal of the season from the penalty spot shortly after to double the Blues’ advantage before a late brace from substitute Demba Ba put the result beyond doubt.

Jose Mourinho’s men are now seven points clear of Liverpool and Arsenal in second and third place respectively, though both have a game in hand, while fourth place Manchester City are nine points off the top with a three game advantage on the leaders.

The Blues’ boss has insisted that Manuel Pellegrini’s men are still favourites to reclaim the Premier League from their neighbours, saying that he would ‘prefer to be in City’s position’.

The club will now turn their attention to next weekend’s visit of Aston Villa, before facing Galatasaray at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of their Champions League last sixteen tie.

Posted on March 10, 2014 by by

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Chelsea held in Istanbul

Chelsea’s Champions League last sixteen tie with Galatasaray is finely poised as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Turk Telekom Arena yesterday evening.

Fernando Torres gave the Blues the lead after just nine minutes with an early tap-in only for Aurelien Chedjou to draw the hosts’ level from close range after being left unmarked almost twenty minutes into the second half.

Jose Mourinho’s men remain favourites to qualify for the last eight having, unlike their three Premier League counterparts in the competition, avoided defeat, with the second leg scheduled to take place at Stamford Bridge two weeks on Tuesday.

The club will first turn their attention to Saturday afternoon’s short trip to Fulham, where they will hope to strengthen their grip on first place in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Chelsea strikers Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o have insisted that they are not worried about recent comments made by Jose Mourinho which suggested that he is not happy with his current front line, according to Sky Sports.

The Blues boss has also branded the reporter who leaked what was said ‘a disgrace’, when asked about it at a press conference following last night’s game.

Posted on February 27, 2014 by by

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