Chelsea announce Liam Rosenior as new head coach
Chelsea have announced Liam Rosenior as Enzo Maresca’s replacement in the Stamford Bridge dugout. Rosenior arrives from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who are under the same ownership group as the West London side. Rosenior departs France having guided his team to finish at top of the UEFA Conference League phase whilst also sitting 7th in France’s top flight. Prior to Strasbourg, the Englishman started his managerial career with Hull City, where he was sacked after narrowly missing out on the play-offs. Rosenior would then take over from outgoing Patrick Viera at Strasbourg. In his first interview with the club, Rosenior said: “I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies. ‘My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves. ‘I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success. ‘I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff, to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal. ‘There is a real hunger to win, and I will give everything, every single day, to help this team compete and win at the very highest level to make everyone connected and proud to be a part of Chelsea Football Club. ‘I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game that we play. They are the soul of this enormous, historic and huge football club. ‘I cannot wait to meet you all. I cannot wait to get started.” The 42-year-old coach has signed a contract until 2032. Chelsea make the short trip to Fulham tomorrow where it is unknown if Rosenior will take charge yet. If not, Chelsea have another short trip to Charlton on Saturday in the FA Cup, where it is likely the Englishman would be in the dugout.
UEFA Champions League Review: Matchday Three
All six English representatives in this year’s Champions League picked up points on the third week of European football’s grandest competition. Tuesday’s match card seen a total of 45 goals scored across the nine matches on display. Barcelona defeated 10 men Olympiacos 6-1 in Catalonia whilst Kairat Almaty picked up their first points of the campaign, with a home 0-0 draw with Steven Pressley’s former side Pafos. Arsenal and Newcastle had North London and the North East rocking respectively. Four second half goals from Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and a double from marquee signing Viktor Gyokeres allowed the Gunners to steamroll over a traditionally resolute Atletico Madrid. Arsenal sit fourth, with maximum points from their first three matches. Newcastle also picked up three points this week as they defeated Jose Mourinho’s Benfica 3-0. Goals from Anthony Gordon and then a second half double from Harvey Barnes, who is eligible for Scotland, gave the Magpies their second European victory in a row. Elsewhere for English sides, Manchester City put in a workmanlike performance away to the yellow submarine of Villarreal. Goals from Erling Harland and Bernardo Silva in the opening half was all that was needed for City to continue their unbeaten start to this year’s league phase. USG of Belgium, who share an investor with Hearts in Tony Bloom, fell to a 4-0 home defeat to Inter Milan. Scott McTominay scored twice for Napoli away to PSV, but the Scudetto winners were embarrassed by the Eredevisie holders, losing 6-2. Former Rangers loanee Fabio Silva scored Borussia Dortmund’s final goal in what was a comfortable 4-2 victory away to FC København. PSG and Bayer Leverkusen both had a man sent off in the first half as last year’s treble winners PSG sauntered to a remarkable 7-2 win away from home against a Leverkusen side that has been dismantled since their heroic invincible Bundesliga campaign just two seasons ago. Not as many goals on Wednesday’s card but that was not for a lack of trying. Both early kick offs ended 3-1 to the home sides, as Athletic Bilbao ended Qarabag of Azerbaijan’s 100% record in San Mames, and Galatasary defeated Bodo/Glimt in Istanbul. Chelsea and Liverpool both steered to 5-1 victories, with Chelsea playing at home to Ajax and making most of their extra man advantage after Kenneth Taylor was sent off at 0-0 15 minutes in for the Dutch giants. Liverpool travelled to Eintracht Frankfurt having lost their last four matches prior. Reds fans would have been fearing the worst when the hosts took the lead 26 minutes in, but five unanswered goals from the English title holders, including one from former Celtic man Virgil Van Dijk, brought the five time European Cup winners winning feel back. Spurs were the only English club not to win this week, with Thomas Frank’s side being held to a bore 0-0 away to Ligue 1 side AS Monaco. Atalanta also drew 0-0 this week to Czechia side Slavia Prague. Elsewhere, Real Madrid defeated Juventus 1-0 at the Bernabeu thanks to a second half Jude Bellingham strike. Bayern Munchen made football look easy with a 4-0 disposal of Club Brugge who knocked Rangers out to qualify for this competition. Sporting Lisbon came from behind to defeat Marseille in the Portuguese capital. Matchday four of the Champions League is on the first week of November, with matches scheduled for the 4th and 5th. Arsenal take on Slavia Prague in Czechia, with North London rivals Tottenham hosting FC Kobenhavn. The biggest game on the Tuesday, however, is Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield, or PSG taking on Bayern Munchen at the Parc de Princes. On the Wednesday, Chelsea get their miles in travelling to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag, whilst their compatriots Man City and Newcastle host Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao respectively.
