Thomas Tuchel has urged Kai Havertz to shine as he gets the opportunity to lead the line for Chelsea with Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner out injured.
Premier League leaders Chelsea host struggling Norwich City on Saturday without those two forwards, who were injured during the 4-0 Champions League victory over Malmo on Wednesday.
Tuchel confirmed Lukaku and Werner will miss at least two games each and suggested it would be Havertz who fills the void after netting against Malmo.
Havertz has only started four of his side s eight league matches this season, scoring once while yet to register an assist, creating only one chance for his team-mates across 320 minutes of action.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
Tuchel explained performances were t…
Fiorentina have appointed Cesare Prandelli as their head coach for a second time after the Serie A club sacked Giuseppe Iachini.
Prandelli previously managed La Viola between 2005 and 2010 before he left to take over from Marcello Lippi as Italy s national team boss.
The 63-year-old had been out of management since his contract with Genoa was terminated in June 2019, but he returns to the Artemio Franchi following Iachini s dismissal.
Iachini was relieved of his duties on Monday after Fiorentina picked up only eight points from their first seven Serie A games this season.
Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso said in a statement: Unfortunately, the current results require a change of technical guidance.
We believe that his skills, his professi…
The arrivals of Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez have energised Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone said on Sunday.
Gallagher, who joined this summer from Premier League side Chelsea, scored his first LaLiga goal in Sunday s 3-0 home win over Valencia, opening the scoring in the first half.
He is now just the third youngest English goalscorer in the Spanish top-flight (24 years and 222 days), after Jude Bellingham and Mason Greenwood.
He came with a lot of enthusiasm, and we needed that kind of player in the midfield because he makes us better, Simeone told a news conference.
He does not stop giving his best in every game situation in which he participates.
La Araña picó.
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti)
Another new signing, …
Paul Pogba s future at Manchester United has been the subject of widespread speculation.
The 28-year-old midfielder will be out of contract at the end of this season.
Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are among the sides linked with the World Cup winner.
TOP STORY – JUVE TO PRIORITISE POGBA DEAL
Juventus have made signing Manchester United midfielder Pogba their top priority, reports Calciomercato.
Pogba has regularly been linked with a move away from Old Trafford as he stalls on a new deal with the Red Devils.
The Frenchman spent four years with the Bianconeri from 2012 to 2016 and they are dreaming of his return.
ROUND-UP
Mundo Deportivo reports that Roma are leading the way to sign Mexico in…
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So, should you wish to gamble and shuffle the pack, why not be guided by Stats Perform s Opta-powered picks?
Four players for the coming matchweek are highlighted below for your consideration
MARTIN DUBRAVKA (Norwich City v Newcastle United)
It is probably safe to assume that at least until the turn of the year, few fantasy managers were relying on a Newcastle goalkeeper. Not only did the Magpies give three different keepers a run between the posts, but they conceded a Premier …
Neymar remains on schedule with his recovery from injury and has been boosted by his return to individual training, Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino said.
The world s most expensive footballer suffered an adductor injury against Caen in the Coupe de France on February 10.
A four-week lay-off was predicted, potentially allowing for a return against former club Barcelona in the Champions League on March 10.
However, PSG won the first leg 4-1 thanks to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, easing the pressure on Neymar ahead of his comeback.
The Brazil superstar has only appeared in 18 of PSG s 35 games in all competitions this season and their win rate has actually improved from 66.7 per cent with the forward to 70.6 per cent when he has been absent.
…
Barcelona have confirmed they have agreed a deal with Leeds United to sign Raphinha.
The deal is reportedly worth up to €67million (£56.57m). Raphinha s move is subject to a medical being completed.
Chelsea and Arsenal were both heavily linked with the former Sporting CP attacker, with the Blues striking a deal with Leeds in late June to bring the winger to Stamford Bridge.
However, reports suggested that Raphinha was prioritising a move to Barca, with Blaugrana president Joan Laporta announcing he wants to come .
Xavi s side are contending with well-documented financial issues, with Laporta revealing new signings Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen could only be registered after salary adjustments.
But Barca have seemingly made further …
Eljif Elmas first-half strike was the difference as Napoli leapfrogged Milan into second in Serie A with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.
Luciano Spalletti s side lost consecutive league games against Atalanta and Empoli but struck first after just four minutes at San Siro through Elmas header – his first top-flight goal since August.
Stefano Pioli s team pressed on in the second half but were unable to mount a comeback as their winless home league run against Napoli – which dates back to December 2014 – continued, although only a VAR intervention denied Franck Kessie a late equaliser.
Napoli overtake Milan to move into second, with the pair four points back from reigning champions Inter heading into the final matchday of 2021 on Wednesday.
The visitors w…
Atletico Madrid moved into LaLiga s top four with a 3-0 win at Osasuna, as Joao Felix registered a goal and an assist on his 100th appearance for the club.
Joao Felix fired Atletico into an early lead just three minutes into his landmark outing before Luis Suarez scored a fantastic long-range lob after 60 minutes to make the points safe, with Angel Correa adding a late third.
Diego Simeone s team produced a disciplined defensive performance to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to Levante, as the capital club moved three points clear of Villarreal and Barcelona in the race for Champions League football, albeit having played two games more than the latter.
Simeone s men took the lead almost immediately, Joao Felix volleying into the roof of the net after Sergio Herr…
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique is treating the upcoming home and away Champions League fixtures as a knock-out tie as they try to navigate their way out of a ‘group of death’.
The heavyweight Group F, which also includes Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle, remains tight after the opening two fixtures, and Enrique believes the next two games could determine PSG’s fate as Milan visit the French capital on Wednesday before the return fixture in two weeks’ time.
“This is a turning point for everyone,” Enrique said. “For us, this is a great opportunity. There are two matches against Milan, it’s almost a direct elimination. But it’s the same for them. You have to take it game by game. We will try to do things better than AC Milan.”
PSG goalkeeper …