Watch Chelsea » milan

Arsenal and Chelsea should be wary of Champions League draw to relish | Kevin McCarra

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:38:10 +0000

Premier League’s fading influence in Europe adds extra spice to ties against Serie A’s Milan and Napoli

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League must leave Arsenal and Chelsea uneasy. In the encounters with Milan and Napoli respectively, it is at least feasible that they could be forced to give up their lives as part of a broad, rejuvenating trend in which England’s impact recedes a little. The Premier League clubs learned that the benefit of topping their groups lay purely in the fact that they have the first leg away.

The appeal is still great for Arsenal. “We have good memories at San Siro,” Arsène Wenger said, referring to the 2-0 win over Milan there in 2008 that swept his club into the quarter-finals. That is a help of sorts, but it cannot eliminate all disquiet in England. Manchester City’s elimination had much to do with the single point taken from the group games with Napoli and now Chelsea must study the footage exhaustively.

It will not be lost on André Villas-Boas and his squad that they are as close to being City’s counterparts as is feasible, given the sums plunged into each club. All the same,

Champions League: Wednesday’s action – in pictures

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:30:17 +0000

All the best images from tonight’s matches, including Chelsea’s trip to Valencia

Football Weekly: Gyan tonics all round as Sunderland crush Chelsea

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:54:55 +0000

On today’s Football Weekly, James Richardson is joined by Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and Gregg Roughley.

Up for discussion this week: how much can we read into Sunderland’s demolition of Chelsea? Why can’t Roy Hodgson manage an away win? Is Roberto Mancini trying to get the sack at Manchester City? And how did Bolton Wanderers get into so much debt?

Abroad, we ask how much longer does Rafael Benítez have at the San Siro after Internazionale lost the Milan derby – more on this in Paolo Bandini’s Italian football blog of course – while Sid Lowe brings us up to date on things in Spain’s La Liga.

Finally, we look at the England squad and wonder, is a front two of Carlton Cole and Jay Bothroyd really as good as it gets?

Tell us what you think on the blog below, and keep up to date with us on Twitter and via our tea-time email, The Fiver.

James RichardsonBen GreenBarry GlendenningGregg RoughleySid LoweBarney Ronay