News

Boehly hails Chelsea’s ‘beautiful’ football under Pochettino

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly boosted Mauricio Pochettino’s chances of being kept on as manager next season as he praised the “beautiful” football being played by the team.

Speaking at a Sportico event in Los Angeles, Boehly – whose Clearlake Capital consortium purchased the club from former owner Roman Abramovich in May 2022 – said the “commentary has changed” surrounding the team in recent weeks, following a tumultuous first two years of his leadership.

The Blues have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since they were hammered 5-0 by Premier League leaders Arsenal at the end of April, recovering to take seven points from their next three matches to give themselves a chance of European qualification.

Reports had suggested that returning the club to Europe is the minimum expectation if Pochettino is to see the second season of his two-year contract.

But after a creditable draw with Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and excellent home wins against London rivals Tottenham and West Ham – the second of which was a 5-0 procession – Boehly indicated his satisfaction that they are at last living up to the expectations set by a more than £1billion transfer spend.

“We’ve seen, over the last two and a half games at least – the second half of Aston Villa, Tottenham and West Ham – where we played just beautiful football,” he said. “It was so fluid. It was exactly the way we drew it up.

“The number of shots we had on goal in those two and a half games, you could really start to see what we were working on coming together. Our goal is obviously to win.

“And the commentary has changed over the last two and a half games. I’ve never seen anything change so quickly than prospective on how a team does.”

Chelsea play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday looking to leapfrog Newcastle into sixth, the last spot that is guaranteed a place in Europe next season, before travelling to Brighton next week and finishing up at home to Bournemouth.

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AFCON 2025: Yobo to serve as draw assistant

Former Super Eagles defender Joseph Yobo has been selected as one of the draw assistants for the final draw of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The draw ceremony is set to take place today at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco, where the 24 qualified teams will discover their paths to the trophy.

Yobo will be joined by other African football icons, including Mustapha Hadji, Serge Aurier, and Aliou Cisse.

The quartet will not only oversee the draw by selecting balls from the pots but will also share their insights on the tournament groups.

The 2025 AFCON finals will be hosted in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

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Super Eagles will succeed under Eric Chelle – Sadiq Umar

Super Eagles forward Umar Sadiq has expressed his support for the team’s new head coach, Eric Chelle, and is optimistic about his success in the role.

Chelle was appointed as the Super Eagles’ head coach earlier this month, a decision that has sparked criticism directed at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Despite the backlash, Sadiq is confident in the 47-year-old’s ability to lead the team effectively.

“You can see what he did in the last AFCON. Everyone thought Mali was one of the favorites,” Sadiq told Sporty TV.

“You can see how they played. They were so good, but they got knocked out in the quarterfinals because, sometimes, it’s not the best team that wins.

“But I can tell you, I watched a lot of Mali’s games because I have a teammate there. You can see how they play, and it’s clear the coach (Chelle) has a lot of great ideas.”

Chelle’s impressive work with Mali during the previous AFCON has given Sadiq confidence that the coach can bring similar success to the Super Eagles.

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‘I’m happy to be out there’ — Dessers opens up on Rangers exit

Cyriel Dessers has expressed his intention to remain at Rangers beyond the winter transfer window despite speculation about his future.

The Nigerian international began the season as Rangers’ first-choice striker but has since lost his spot to Hamza Igamane.

Dessers has been linked with a return to Italy, with reports suggesting interest from Cagliari and Empoli. Spanish club Leganes is also reportedly keen on signing the former Feyenoord forward.

In a recent interview, Dessers acknowledged plans to discuss his status at the club with senior officials. However, the 30-year-old revealed that no such talks have taken place yet.

“No talks at all. I don’t mind that. I try to focus on the football and the things that are happening on the pitch,” Dessers told the Daily Record.

“Those are the things that I can control. And like Sunday at Tannadice, I’m just happy to be out there with the guys, fighting for the points and being important.

“That’s what I want. There’s a lot of unfinished business at Rangers for me. That’s why I kept pushing in the last weeks—in the gym, in training, and in the minutes that you get.”

Despite his recent challenges, Dessers has had an impressive season, scoring 18 goals across all competitions under manager Philippe Clement.