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Barcelona Deals Chelsea Heart-Breaking Loss, Reaches Champions League Final

Posted: May 6th 2009 4:51PM by FanHouse Newswire (author feed)
Filed under: English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, La Liga (Spain)

4 COMMENTS
LONDON (AP) - Barcelona advanced to the European Champions League final against Manchester United in dramatic fashion, tying Chelsea 1-1 Wednesday night when Andres Iniesta scored in the third minute of second-half injury time.

Michael Essien scored on a 20-yard shot in the ninth minute for Chelsea, which lost last year's final to Manchester United on penalty kicks.

Champions League Snapshots

    Chelsea's Michael Ballack (R) screams at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after a possible handball by Barcelona during their Champions League second leg semi-final soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. The game ended 1-1, Barcelona won on the away goal rule. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER IMAGES OF THE DAY)

    Reuters

    Frank Lampard of Chelsea reacts after Andres Iniesta of Barcelona scored the winning goal against his team in injury time during their Champions League second leg semi-final soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER)

    Reuters

    Barcelona's Lionel Messi (R) is congratulated by his manager Josep Guardiola after their Champions League second leg semi-final soccer match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER)

    Reuters

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta (R) and Samuel Eto'o celebrate a goal against Chelsea during their Champions League semi-final second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Albert Gea (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER)

    Reuters

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta, center, celebrates with Samuel Eto'o after scoring his sides equalising goal during their Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match against Chelsea at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, May, 6, 2009. (AP Photo/ Matt Dunham)

    AP

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta, left, reacts after scoring a goal against Chelsea during their Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, May, 6, 2009. (AP Photo/ Jon Super)

    AP

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta, no8 shoots and scores a a goal against Chelsea during their Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, May, 6, 2009. (AP Photo/ Jon Super)

    AP

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta , center, celebrates at the end of the match as his team win their Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match at against Chelsea at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge Stadium in London, Wednesday, May 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

    AP

    Frank Lampard of Chelsea reacts after Andres Iniesta of Barcelona scored the winning goal against his team in injury time during their Champions League second leg semi-final soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER)

    Reuters

    Barcelona's Andres Iniesta celebrates a goal against Chelsea during their Champions League semi-final second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 6, 2009. REUTERS/Albert Gea (BRITAIN SPORT SOCCER)

    Reuters

Continue Reading Barcelona Deals Chelsea Heart-Breaking Loss, Reaches Champions League Final

Please Don't Ask Will Ferrell About Kaká

Posted: Jul 23rd 2008 8:25PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: English Premier League

1 COMMENT


Earlier this week, Will Ferrell showed up for promotional appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and MTV's Total Request Live sporting this old school Chelsea jersey. This pretty much ensures that no self-respecting Gooner will ever spend a dime on his movies again.

Ferrell is the newest addition to Chelsea's offcial Celebrity Fans list. He's up there with Michael Caine, Owen Wilson, Tara Reid, Busta Rhymes and Guy Ritchie. Sounds like a really crappy film waiting to happen, doesn't it?

(H/T: Unprofessional Foul)

Report: Chelsea Offers Milan ?100M for Kaká

Posted: Jul 19th 2008 10:35AM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: European Soccer, English Premier League

1 COMMENT
The Guardian is reporting that Chelsea is prepared to offer A.C. Milan a world-record €100 million transfer fee for Brazilian midfielder Kaká.

If completed, the audacious deal would smash the previous record transfer fee of €76 million, which Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001. Milan turned down a €90 million from Madrid for Kaká last summer, but with none of that filthy Champions League lucre coming in next season, Milan might use this deal to balance their books and add a less expensive, albeit less talented central midfielder.

This comes just days after Milan signed Ronaldinho from Barcelona for €21 million, so that much-anticipated Brazilian renaissance at the San Siro might not happen as expected.

Kaká beat out Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or in 2007 after leading Milan to the Champions League title. He would join a very crowded Chelsea midfield, which currently includes Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Essien, Jon Obi Mikel, Florent Malouda, Claude Makélélé and Shawn Wright-Phillips. Lampard, however, is expected to move to Inter Milan and be reunited with Jose Mourinho soon, while Makélélé and Wright-Phillips are believed to be on their way out.

UPDATE (7/21): Chelsea is now denying that they made this offer. Looks like it's up to Cristiano Ronaldo to break the world record for a transfer fee after all.

Frank Lampard Goes to Italy, Breaks Treadmill, Ends Up on YouTube

Posted: Jul 9th 2008 2:00PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Premier League, European Soccer

0 COMMENTS

So last week, this Australian jewelry designer went on vacation in Italy, and she struck up a conversation with this nice Englishwoman named Elen about her bracelets. Elen then introduced the women to her husband -- Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard. The woman clearly has no idea who Lampard is or why he might be in Italy until restaurant employees started asking if they could get their picture taken with him. Awkwardness ensues.

Toward the end of the video, Lampard reveals that he broke a treadmill during his vacation. Perhaps Ronaldinho isn't the only one who needs to lay off the pasta.

(H/T: 101 Great Goals)

Is Scolari Wrecking Man United From Outside?

Posted: Jul 8th 2008 3:45PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Premier League, European Soccer

0 COMMENTS
Do you get the sense that Chelsea's hiring of former Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari was simply a move to cause turmoil in Old Trafford?

After all, it was Scolari who fanned the flames of the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer rumors. He would certainly be interested in seeing Chelsea's main rival for the Premier League crown lose its best player. Now it seems his replacement in Portugal is one of Man United's top coaches. Carlos Queiroz, who has been Sir Alex Ferguson's right-hand man for five of the past seven seasons, is set to replace Scolari as manager of the Portguese national team.

Ferguson and Queiroz have won three Premier League titles (2003, 2007 and 2008) together, and Queiroz played a vital role in improving Man United's defensive tactics in recent years. He was also going to be the man who would convince Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford. Will his departure cause the Red Devils to slip in their quest for a third consecutive league title and a Champions League repeat?

Makes you wonder how many more dominoes Scolari can knock over, doesn't it?

Ronaldinho Really Did Eat All the Pies

Posted: Jul 2nd 2008 8:38PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, International Soccer, Premier League, European Soccer

1 COMMENT
What is it about Brazilian soccer superstars and their inability to control their appetites as they push 30?

First, Ronaldo got a million choruses of "Who Ate All the Pies" shouted at him. Now Ronaldinho, at the ripe old age of 28, puts on an oversized red T-shirt and ... well, around the midsection, that's pretty much how I would look in an oversized red T-shirt, and I sit in front of a computer all day. What isn't this man eating?

Amazingly, photos like this (and like this) somehow haven't deterred some Premier League clubs from their pursuit of Big Ronnie. The cynic in me looks at Manchester City's £19 million signing of Brazilian striker Jo from CSKA Moscow and wonders if owner Thaksin Shinawatra specifically targeted Jo to try and land Ronaldinho. Sure, Jo's 30 goals in 53 appearances for CSKA speak for themselves, but two Brazilians and a Benjani up front? Wouldn't Mark Hughes love that?

Chelsea is also in the running, in no small part because Luiz Felipe Scolari coached Ronaldinho to a World Cup with Brazil in 2002. Judging from this photo, though, whoever gets Big Ronnie will have a pretty tall task whipping him back into playing shape. If he gets any bigger, EA Sports will have no choice but to plump up his Mii.

What's Chelsea FC Doing in Raleigh, NC?

Posted: Jul 2nd 2008 11:30AM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Carolina, Premier League, US Soccer

0 COMMENTS

Chelsea might have a reputation among Premier League clubs for buying stars on the transfer market rather than developing them within the club -- they've already opened the silly season by signing Deco from Barcelona for £8 million -- but that doesn't mean the club's academy is lying dormant. In fact, the big London club is using its youth development program to reach out to America. Chelsea has struck up a partnership with Capital Area Soccer League, a large youth soccer club in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is already sending coaches to work with CASL youth players.

Since this is happening in my neck of the woods, I went to Raleigh to chat with some folks about this partnership.
Continue Reading What's Chelsea FC Doing in Raleigh, NC?

2008-09 Premier League Schedule Keeps Spotlight Off Big Four

Posted: Jun 18th 2008 11:15AM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Premier League

0 COMMENTS
With all the excitement surrounding EURO 2008, it might have been easy to overlook the 2008-09 Premier League schedule, which was announced on Monday. You can see the full schedule here.

The most interesting thing about the coming season's schedule is that there are no "Super Sundays" that feature the Premier League's Big Four -- Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United -- playing against each other on the same day. Those marquee matches are spread fairly evenly throughout the schedule. Perhaps the Premier League is trying to distance itself from the notion that it's a top-heavy league where only four clubs have a legitimate shot at the title. I wish them lots of luck trying to convince people otherwise.

Our pals at The Guardian also note that Manchester United's September schedule is a little rough. The Red Devils face Liverpool at Anfield on September 13, then play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on September 20. In between those two games is their first Champions League group stage match. We should hear Sir Alex Ferguson whining about this any day now. "Waaaah! Defending two major championships shouldn't be this hard! Waaaaah!"

Of course, that assumes Ferguson doesn't follow through on his threat to bail on Man United if the club sells Cristiano Ronaldo. The offseason at Old Trafford gets more interesting every day, doesn't it?

New Chelsea Manager Has Solid Left Jab

Posted: Jun 12th 2008 1:30PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Premier League, European Soccer

2 COMMENTS

What kind of guy is current Portugal manager and future Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari? Apparently, he's a guy who's not going to take any guff from those Serbians, as this video from a EURO 2008 qualifier shows. Ivica Dragutinovic probably didn't realize he was slapping away the hand of the Brazilian Woody Hayes. Didier Drogba should leave Stamford Bridge for his safety alone.

Fernando Duarte has a slightly more complete profile of Scolari here at The Guardian.

Report: Scolari to Take Over Chelsea on July 1

Posted: Jun 11th 2008 4:26PM by David J. Warner (author feed)
Filed under: Soccer, Premier League, European Soccer

0 COMMENTS
ESPN and the BBC are reporting that Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will take over at Chelsea starting on July 1.

The temperamental Brazilian, who infamously threw a punch at a Serbian player after a EURO 2008 qualifying match, has been the manager for the Portuguese national team since 2003 and led the team to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup. He has had his fair share of clashes with Portuguese football officials during his time there and had been rumored to be a target of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich since Avram Grant was sacked one day after losing the Champions League Final.

Scolari has had previous stints with national teams in Brazil and Kuwait, Brazilian clubs Cruzerio, Gremio and Palmeiras and several clubs in the Middle East. He is expected to see Portugal through the remainder of EURO 2008.

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