Wenger arsenal

BAKU -- Eden Hazard scored twice and created a third to steer Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over London rivals Arsenal in the Europa League final in what looks likely to be the Belgium winger’s final game for the Blues. Chelsea destroyed Arsenal with four second-half goals that handed coach Maurizio Sarri his first major trophy at the age of 60, although that might not be enough to silence the speculation that he could also be leaving Stamford Bridge imminently. Former Arsenal hero Olivier Giroud and Spain attacker Pedro each got a goal to give Chelsea their third European title in seven years, with the Champions League triumph in 2012 followed by their first Europa League victory in 2013. Hazard, who joined Chelsea in 2012, looked emotional when he was substituted in the final minutes and held his hands over his eyes to an ovation in Baku’s cavernous Olympic Stadium. The Belgium winger has signalled he wants to move to Real Madrid in the close season. “My dream was to play in the Premier League and I did it for seven years,” Hazard told a television reporter shortly after the final whistle. “Maybe I think it is time to say goodbye. “We will decide in a few days and the only target in my mind was to win this final. I have made my decision already and now I’m waiting on both clubs. I think it is a goodbye, but in football you never know.” After a tepid first half, Giroud put Chelsea ahead in the 49th minute with an angled header. The Blues doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Pedro diverted a cross from Hazard beyond former Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, who was making his last appearance before retiring as a player. With Arsenal on the ropes, defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles collided with Giroud to concede a penalty that Hazard stroked home after 65 minutes. Alex Iwobi clawed a goal back for Arsenal but Chelsea restored their three-goal cushion in the 72nd minute when Hazard swapped passes with Giroud to score his second. Arsenal have lost five of …

[Read more...] about Hazard scores twice as Chelsea thrash Arsenal to win Europa League

Man City survive huge FA Cup scare, Arsenal crash out (photo: youtube/ FPT Bong Da) Six-time winners City were minutes away from exiting at the fourth-round stage before goals from Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres broke the hearts of the brave League Two side. City boss Pep Guardiola made 10 changes for the trip to the southwest of England but his side was still packed with internationals. The home team -- 72 places below City in the football pyramid -- produced a stirring defensive display but also sporadically threatened at the other end of the pitch. Jesus hit the post shortly after the restart as City upped the tempo following a goalless first half but it was the home team who broke the deadlock. The visitors failed to deal with the outstanding Ben Tozer's long throw and Alfie May fired in from close range just before the hour mark. Guardiola threw on Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo in a desperate bid to find a way back into the game and was rewarded in the 81st minute when Foden volleyed in Cancelo's cross. Three minutes later Jesus made amends for his earlier miss and Torres made it 3-1 with the final kick of the game, turning in Gundogan's low cross. "We came here with humility and had the quality to make the difference," said Guardiola. "They used their quality in the box, they are taller and better than us there and we showed clips on how to solve it. It is difficult to control that." The Catalan had warm words for Foden, who is the club's top-scorer in all competitions this season. "Phil Foden is in a great moment and with great confidence," he added. "He is clinical in front of goal." Cheltenham boss Michael Duff said he was "super proud" of his players, bemoaning the fact the match had to be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. "It's a shame because (with fans) the place would've been bouncing," he said. "Would that have seen us through in the last 10 minutes? I'm not so sure -- but the …

[Read more...] about Man City survive huge FA Cup scare, Arsenal crash out

The first leg of Arsenal's tie against Benfica, which was due to be played at the Estadio Da Luz on Feb. 18, has been moved to Rome while the second leg will be played in Athens at Olympiakos Piraeus' ground a week later. Spurs said their first leg away to Austrian side Wolfsberger will now take place in Budapest, Hungary next week. * Double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso said he was well and looking forward to the start of the season after fracturing his jaw in a road accident while cycling in Switzerland. The Spaniard's Alpine (Renault) team said he will remain under observation for 48 hours after an operation on Friday (Feb 12) and expected him "to be fully operational to undertake preparation for the season". * Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes his side's sensational La Liga form will be tough to maintain in the second half of the season. Leaders Atleti are on course for a 100-point season after picking up 51 points from their opening 20 games of the campaign, losing just once and shipping only 12 goals as they raced away at the top of the table. * Krasnodar have been fined 15,000 euros (US$18,187) for a late kickoff in their Champions League group match at Chelsea in December, UEFA said in a statement on Friday. * Argentina’s Hernan Crespo signed a two-year contract to coach Sao Paulo on Friday, giving a late boost to their faltering league title hopes, the Brazilian club announced. * Manchester United need their midfielders to score more goals and Scott McTominay has the characteristics to get into double figures despite being deployed as a defensive midfielder, manager ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday. McTominay, 24, has scored seven times in all competitions this season, including in United's last three fixtures with Tuesday's extra-time winner against West Ham United sending them through to an FA Cup quarter-final against Leicester City. * Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel would love to bring more academy players into the …

[Read more...] about Arsenal, Spurs Europa League ties moved due to COVID-19 regulations