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Jamie Carragher makes bold Champions League prediction on Chelsea

Jamie Carragher makes bold Champions League prediction on Chelsea

Yahoo10 hours ago
Jamie Carragher makes bold Champions League prediction on Chelsea originally appeared on The Sporting News
Ahead of the start of the 2025-26 football season, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was asked to make a bold prediction on Chelsea. However, his response is not one that will excite the Blues fans.
Enzo Maresca's team go into the season full of optimism after qualifying for the Champions League and clinching the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup last season.
A lot of fans and pundits are now backing Enzo Maresca's team to go a step further and challenge for the Premier League title.
The upcoming season will also be the first time since 2023 that Chelsea plays in the Champions League, and it'll be interesting to see how far they can go in Europe's premier club competition.
However, Carragher does not believe that Chelsea will make it too far in the Champions League.
The former defender believes that Maresca's men will not make it to the second round of the competition.
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Carragher's 'hot take' on Chelsea is sure to upset the Blues' fans
When asked for his hot take on Chelsea, Carragher said on The Overlap, 'Hot take on Chelsea from me. I don't think Chelsea will qualify out of the Champions League group stage.'
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Carragher's take is certain to annoy the Chelsea fans and players alike. But on the flipside, the players can use it as motivation to prove him wrong.
On paper, Chelsea have the strength and depth in their squad to manage both a Premier League title challenge and a deep run into the latter stages of the Champions League.
Chelsea news and related links
What was the Chelsea score today? Result, highlights from AC Milan preseason friendly
Chelsea vs. Bayer Leverkusen score, result, highlights: Estavao sparkles to inspire debut win
Key Chelsea player ruled out until September
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Raiders' Ashton Jeanty shows big-play ability in joint practice with the 49ers
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty shows big-play ability in joint practice with the 49ers

Yahoo

time6 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Raiders' Ashton Jeanty shows big-play ability in joint practice with the 49ers

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6 takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots-Vikings joint practices
6 takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots-Vikings joint practices

Yahoo

time6 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

6 takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots-Vikings joint practices

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Vikings-Patriots joint practice: J.J. McCarthy's best practice of training camp and more
Vikings-Patriots joint practice: J.J. McCarthy's best practice of training camp and more

New York Times

time8 minutes ago

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Vikings-Patriots joint practice: J.J. McCarthy's best practice of training camp and more

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O'Connell, who typically dismisses training camp statistics, laughed. 'See,' O'Connell said, 'this is the one time it's good you guys were keeping some stats. I did not know that.' There are times the final line does not match the eye test. This was not one of those times. McCarthy's consistency commenced in the early red-zone periods and extended until the final two-minute drill. He progressed quickly through reads. He pulled the trigger on throws with conviction. The most stark difference Thursday compared to the majority of training camp may have been his accuracy. He arced a beautiful deep ball down the right sideline to running back Aaron Jones. He perfectly lofted a completion to tight end T.J. Hockenson in the end zone atop cornerback Marcus Jones. The two passes McCarthy himself noted following Thursday's practice were a layered throw to receiver Jordan Addison beyond the reach of two defenders. And the cherry on top of a successful two-minute drill was finding Addison in an open window. 'I think I'm one of the most accurate guys out there,' McCarthy said. He then referred to the harsh rubric he has for himself. 'It's not just, 'Was the ball completed?'' McCarthy said. 'It's, 'Did I give him a runner's ball? Did I put it on the right pad for him to turn a certain way?'' LIVE: QB J.J. McCarthy talks to the media following joint practices — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 14, 2025 Essentially, he was saying that if he's going to view his accuracy as the strength that he does, he must back it up with his critiques. He also noted a recent priority. It's one thing to be accurate in 7-on-7 reps without defenders diving at his feet. It's another hurdle to sidestep in the pocket, then manipulate the arm angle on the fly. Saturday's preseason game and joint practices have allowed him to troubleshoot this area for the first time since he tore his meniscus. Advertisement These are all distinct steps, none of which O'Connell has wanted to put maximum pressure on. The head coach categorized the preseason game as 'a checkpoint' and the joint practices as 'checkpoint two.' One of the developments between the two was their ability to use what they learned as an offense Wednesday to apply to Thursday. McCarthy had watched the tape of the Patriots' preseason defense. He also deep-dived Patriots coach Mike Vrabel's defenses from past years. The study framed his approach for Wednesday, but the Patriots installed more coverages and disguises than he'd initially expected. After Wednesday, McCarthy and the Vikings staff prepped different ways to attack what they'd seen, almost as a mock run-through for what the game-planning application is like in the season. 'That's all on the players to absorb that, specifically J.J.,' O'Connell said afterward. 'It felt decisive. There was an incredible amount of conviction to some of the decisions he made.' O'Connell said he hoped Thursday instilled a degree of confidence that already seemed apparent when McCarthy met the microphones. He introduced the subject of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry when a reporter asked about Donovan Jackson's pancaking from Wednesday. He mentioned Tom Brady's advice to hydrate incessantly when discussing his weekly approach. He described his perfectionist streak as 'kinda the psycho in me.' His joy was undeniable. It was, if nothing else, a snapshot of what the vibe could feel like if the performance meets the mountain of expectation. • Wide receiver Jalen Nailor ended practice on the sideline. O'Connell said Nailor had jammed his left hand, and the Vikings wanted to remain smart with their already-troubling depth situation. It's not just that superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson is still rehabbing from a minor hamstring train. Advertisement It's not just that elite wide receiver Jordan Addison will miss the first three games due to a suspension. The Vikings also lost Rondale Moore to a season-ending knee injury. Receivers Lucky Jackson and Thayer Thomas earned first-team reps in the absence of Jefferson and Nailor on Thursday, but the Nailor situation underscores the need for at least one more experienced receiver, at minimum. • Minnesota's pass rush demolished the Patriots' offensive line Thursday. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen won cleanly a couple of times in the two-minute period. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard gave rookie left tackle Will Campbell fits. Second-year edge rusher Dallas Turner swooped around right tackle Morgan Moses in a competitive rep. The starters weren't the only ones doing damage, either. Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond beelined into the backfield and blew up one particular run play in an early team period. Rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins impacted the Patriots' protection attempts, too. • The punt returner spot remains wide open. Four receivers tried their hand at the gig: Lucky Jackson, Silas Bolden, Myles Price and Tai Felton. Bolden and Price are the most experienced candidates, but they're both undrafted signings. Price muffed an attempt Thursday. Jackson didn't return punts in college at Western Kentucky. Felton only returned two at Maryland. Finding a trustworthy option to trot out in Chicago on 'Monday Night Football' with immense pressure is still necessary. (Photo of J.J. McCarthy: David Berding / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle

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