Fernandez set for Chelsea debut, Arsenal renew Premier League title charge

Chelsea manager Graham Potter is under pressure to turn unprecedented spending into results, starting against Fulham on Friday. He admits he has a challenge on his hands to keep all his stars happy. (Reuters)
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Updated 03 February 2023
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Fernandez set for Chelsea debut, Arsenal renew Premier League title charge

  • Chelsea’s overall spend in their first season under new ownership fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly has now surpassed £500 million

MANCHESTER: The clock is ticking for Chelsea manager Graham Potter to turn unprecedented spending into results, starting against Fulham on Friday, as new Everton manager Sean Dyche prepares for a baptism of fire against Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool travel to face struggling Wolves, desperate to pull themselves out of a slump that has left them playing catch-up, while Tottenham host champions Manchester City.

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the weekend action in the English top flight.

British-record signing Enzo Fernandez could make his debut at Stamford Bridge in the west London derby after completing a €121 million ($132 million, £107 million) move from Benfica.

Mykhailo Mudryk is also in line for his first start since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in a blockbuster January transfer window for the club for a fee that could rise to €100 million.

Chelsea’s overall spend in their first season under new ownership fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly has now surpassed £500 million but the Blues are languishing in 10th in the Premier League table, 10 points off the top four.

Potter admits he has a challenge on his hands to keep all his stars happy as he tries to turn Chelsea’s fortunes around.

“We have to create an environment where there’s healthy competition and they can push each other,” Potter said on Thursday. “There’s going to be frustration at times because only 11 can play.

“But we’ve got a lot of important games and we need to improve our results so it’s about playing, supporting the team and being ready to play.”

Marco Silva’s Fulham beat Chelsea for the first time since 2006 when the sides met last month at Craven Cottage and are above their illustrious neighbors in the table.

Another victory for the white half of west London would secure a first-ever league double over Chelsea in a single season.

The contrast in mood between Arsenal and Everton fans could hardly be starker ahead of their meeting at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Arsenal are on course for a first league title since 2003/04 with the luxury of a five-point lead over Manchester City and a game in hand.

The Gunners will be hoping their January business is enough to get them over the line despite missing out on their top two targets — Mudryk and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

Jorginho’s arrival from Chelsea this week adds depth and an old head to Mikel Arteta’s young squad while Leandro Trossard boosts his attacking options.

Everton were the only Premier League club not to make a January signing and former Burnley boss Sean Dyche knows he has a mountain to climb.

The Toffees’ 69-year stay in the English top flight is at severe risk and further protests from supporters against the club’s board are planned for after the match.

“There’s a big challenge ahead but one I’m ready for and want to take on,” Dyche told Everton TV. “We want to change the shape of this club going forward, remodel it in our style, but remodel it in a way we can win.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola showed his ruthless streak as Joao Cancelo was allowed to move on loan to Bayern Munich this week.

The Portuguese full-back was an important figure in City’s title wins over the past two seasons but his departure is further evidence that Guardiola is trying to spark a reaction from his squad.

He questioned whether his side had the hunger to hunt down Arsenal despite a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-2 last month.

Now Guardiola has gambled, knowing that his daring call on Cancelo leaves him short on full-back options for the rest of the season.

City might be eight points behind the leaders before Sunday’s game against Spurs, who could be without manager Antonio Conte after he underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder, but they have title-winning nous and enviable strength in depth.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Chelsea vs. Fulham (2000)

Saturday

Everton vs. Arsenal (1230), Aston Villa vs. Leicester, Brentford vs. Southampton, Brighton vs. Bournemouth, Man Utd vs. Crystal Palace, Wolves vs. Liverpool (all 1500), Newcastle vs. West Ham (1730)

Sunday

Nottingham Forest vs. Leeds (1400), Tottenham vs. Man City (1630)


Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

Updated 14 November 2024
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Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

  • Dorival Junior: The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides
  • After losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches

SAO PAOLO: The “world order” of football is shifting, Brazil’s coach Dorival Junior said ahead of a World Cup qualifier Thursday against Venezuela.

“I don’t think we’ll have an easy game. Forget Venezuela, Bolivia recently. Right now the world order is changing a lot,” Dorival said on Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Belem where the team were training.

While pressure has been alleviated by Brazil beating Chile (2-1) and Peru (4-0) in the October doubleheader, the 62-year-old coach warned they, like Argentina, had to recognize they earlier lost ground to previously easier opponents.

“South American football has grown a lot overall. If you look at the majority of the national lineups, you see players playing in teams all over the world, which wasn’t the case until recently,” he said.

“The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides. This is levelling things a lot and making the matches tighter contests.”

Brazil are still being forged under his watch, meaning their performance will “fluctuate” while that is being worked out, he said.

But Dorival said they were heading toward becoming a “safe,” “strong” and balanced team.

After a bad start in the qualifiers, losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches. The top six South American teams directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil sit six points behind current leaders Argentina.

Venezuela rank eighth in the table.

“We’re not in a totally favorable situation, we’re coming from behind... (but) we’re gaining a greater sense of greater structure in the team,” Dorival said.

After Friday’s game against Venezuela, Brazil are to play Uruguay next Tuesday.


Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Updated 14 November 2024
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Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

PARIS: Lyon beat Roma 3-0 to maintain their 100 percent record in Group A of the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg thrashed Galatasaray to pick up their first points.
In Group B, Chelsea came from behind against Celtic to preserve their perfect record and Real Madrid put seven past Twente.
Record eight-time winners Lyon traveled to the Italian capital with both sides level at the top of the group on two wins apiece.
Melchie Dumornay’s first-half brace put the French side firmly in control, her second coming three minutes before the interval via an audacious chip from inside the center circle.
Vanessa Gilles poked in from close range in the 52nd minute to rubber-stamp an authoritative performance by Joe Montemurro’s side.
Wolfsburg, the 2013 and 2014 Champions League winners, started their latest campaign with back-to-back defeats against Lyon and Roma — leaving them third in Group A with no goals scored and in real danger of elimination.
Their 5-0 win in Istanbul keeps them third place, three points behind Roma in second.
“We want to get out of the group by working hard and doing our best for the (three) remaining matches,” said Wolfsburg forward Rebecka Blomqvist.
“We are in a very tough group. But we also have the power to achieve this.”
Defender Joelle Wedemeyer’s 24th-minute header from a corner gave the Germans the lead. Blomqvist tapped in on 63 minutes to double the advantage.
The Swedish striker stroked home a third for the team with 13 minutes remaining and then rounded off her hat-trick six minutes into added time.
Vivien Endemann smashed home a fifth for Wolfsburg in the 97th minute.
“We are very happy with the result,” added Blomqvist. “I am proud to show my best out on the pitch. It’s great to contribute to the team.”
A third successive defeat in three outings leaves the Turks bottom of the table with just one goal scored and 14 conceded.
At Parkhead, Chelsea moved to nine points with a 2-1 victory over winless Celtic.
The hosts took a surprise lead with just over 20 minutes gone when Murphy Agnew raced through and lifted a finish past goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
It took the English champions only six minutes to respond, first through Maika Hamano in the 28th minute and then Ashley Lawrence tucked home a rebound four minutes later.
Chelsea were unable to kill off the match in the second half but succeeded nonetheless in holding Celtic at arm’s length to see out a narrow victory, despite Aggie Beever-Jones picking up a second yellow card deep in injury time.
Real Madrid strolled past Dutch side Twente with a 7-0 win in Spain.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring in the third minute, before center-half Maria Mendez nodded in her first goal in European football 13 minutes later.
Naomie Feller guided in a third on 50 minutes and Caroline Weir soon after curled an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Mendez then doubled her tally in the competition with a second header from a corner three minutes after the hour, before Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho completed the rout.
The Spaniards sit second in the group with six points.


Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

Updated 13 November 2024
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Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

  • The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn
  • “It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit”

LONDON: Harry Kane says he is disappointed by the high number of withdrawals from the England squad this week, insisting the national team must come first.
The Euro 2024 runners-up head to Greece for Thursday’s must-win Nations League match before a Wembley meeting with Ireland on Sunday.
But interim boss Lee Carsley’s final camp, before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as the new manager, has been hit by an eye-watering eight pull-outs.
The situation has frustrated Kane, who will lead the side out at the Olympic Stadium in Athens knowing key players are absent for a match they must win to stand a chance of automatic promotion.
Asked if there was one thing former manager Gareth Southgate put in place that senior players need to ensure is not lost, the striker told ITV: “I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.
“I think every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and, yeah, that’s the most important thing.
“I think England comes before anything. England comes before club.”
The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn.
“It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit,” he said.
“I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Eight players withdrew from Carsley’s initial 26-man squad for the Nations League double-header including Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
Jarrad Branthwaite was among five players brought into the squad but the Everton center-back is a major doubt, having been unable to train with the group so far.


South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

Updated 13 November 2024
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

  • Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court
  • He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board

JOHANNESBURG: South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board, the statement added.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.
He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
The court released the three on bail.


Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

  • Al-Ghamdi and Al-Sahafi, on loan from Ittihad, are part of Herve Renard’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Australia
  • Al-Sahafi scored twice in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September and netted another brace against Club Brugge before the international break

LONDON: While scanning Herve Renard’s first squad list since his return as boss of the Saudi national team, three names stand out immediately. Twenty-four of the 27 players play their club football in the Kingdom; the exceptions are Saud Abdulhamid, who is at Roma, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi, both currently on loan at Belgian side Beerschot.

Saudi players plying their trade in Europe are not the norm; only a handful have previously made the switch from the Kingdom. And even they — from Sami Al-Jaber at Wolves to Salem Al-Dawsari at Villarreal — only featured sparingly before returning to their homeland.

But at Beerschot, 23-year-old Al-Ghamdi and 20-year-old Al-Sahafi have been thrust immediately into first-team action and have produced influential performances for the team, which is fighting to stay in the Belgian Pro League.

“It was not difficult to make the switch for us,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News in an exclusive interview from Beerschot’s training ground. “We had goals and dreams of reaching the highest levels in Europe.

“Some things are definitely different from playing in Saudi — like the environment and climate — but we’ve adapted to these differences quite well, and things are going smoothly. It has been a good experience for both of us. Really, we benefited a lot. Every time you move to a different place you learn new things and develop yourself naturally.”

He added: “In terms of the future we hope to get more results, we want to reach higher levels in Europe and develop our skills.”

While both players, who are on loan from Al-Ittihad for the 2024-25 season, have quickly settled into life in Belgium, it is Al-Sahafi who has made the biggest impact so far.

After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September, he netted another brace ahead of this week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The winger’s double salvo helped Beerschot fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge, who are playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

“Against Anderlecht, we had the resolve to win and God blessed me with the two goals,” Al-Sahafi said. “It was superb, and an amazing feeling throughout the game. It was one of my best performances by far and I will remember this for a long, long time. [I think] we’ve acclimated to the different situation well and it wasn’t difficult even though there are not many players from the Kingdom who have played in Europe.”

For Al-Ghamdi, too, seeing Al-Sahafi among Beerschot’s goal scorers has been special.

“I’m extremely proud of him and it is a joy seeing him score,” Al-Ghamdi said. “I have very high hopes for him and I hope we will both [continue] to have better performances in the future, with more goals and more wins.”

The Saudi duo’s coach at Beerschot is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. He became a cult hero during his six years at Anfield, aided by scoring a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United in 2011. With 104 caps for the Netherlands under his belt, Kuyt’s experiences as a player have helped him transition into an effective coach.

“He’s a little bit before our time but we do remember watching clips and videos of him in his career,” Al-Ghamdi said. “As a coach we try to benefit as much as possible from having him, he’s a great influence both on and off the pitch, well-rounded. He’s responsive with the players, he is engaging as a person, very warm. He gets close to the players and offers his best advice — whether in training, in matches, or even off the pitch.”

Al-Sahafi has also felt the benefit of Kuyt’s guidance: “He’s close to us and really tries to facilitate the best conditions and prepare us before the game. He takes care of us and he has a big personality and character — on and off the pitch. He is very impactful.”

At international level, too, Al-Sahafi and Al-Ghamdi are set to play under a hugely popular coach. Herve Renard returned to coach the Green Falcons last month, replacing Roberto Mancini.

It was under Renard that Al-Ghamdi made his international debut against Yemen in January 2023 and, after struggling for game time while Mancini was at the helm, the midfielder is optimistic about the future of the national team.

“He is a huge coach and we had very good results with him,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We are so happy to have him back and we hope to get amazing results with him. Inshallah, we will qualify for the World Cup with him, that is our primary objective.”

Al-Sahafi’s international bow only came in June this year, and he was handed his first start for the Green Falcons in last month’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah — a game that proved to be Mancini’s last.

“This will be my first experience with the new coach and I want to prove myself,” Al-Sahafi told Arab News. “I believe there is a clear reason why he chose me and I want to make him proud. Our goal is to reach the World Cup.”

So by the time the 2026 tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada, could there be more Saudi players making their mark in European football?

“There have definitely been many players in the Saudi national camp who have asked us about playing in Europe,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We explained what has happened and how we have developed. We told them it has been exciting and they were quite curious.”

Al-Sahafi also hopes to convince some of his Green Falcons’ teammates to join the duo in testing themselves on a different continent and in a different football culture.

“A lot of people outside and within the Saudi national team have asked me questions and I told them it has been a tremendously valuable experience. And very fun too,” he said.

“I hope this time in Belgium helps us develop to be the best players for the Kingdom and to improve. We want to give the best we have to offer for Saudi Arabia and I hope soon we will see many players go abroad to improve themselves further.”