McCowan on embracing Champions League play-off pressure
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Premier League 2025-26 preview No 7: Chelsea
Guardian writers' predicted position: 4th (NB: this is not necessarily Michael Butler's prediction but the average of our writers' tips) Last season's position: 4th Securing Champions League qualification on the last day of the Premier League season and an unlikely Club World Cup triumph have transformed the club, their finances and ambitions for 2025-26. Chelsea stayed relatively under the radar for much of the Club World Cup – in part because of their relatively kind route to the later stages – but their commanding 3-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the final means they are again regarded as a potentially dominant European force and perhaps even as contenders for the Premier League title. That is if Chelsea are ready – mentally, physically and tactically – for the new season. By the time Chelsea played the Club World Cup final on 13 July, nearly every other Premier League side had started their pre-season. Since then, while Liverpool, Arsenal and co have been hard at work, the players have had three weeks off and returned on Monday, with two friendly matches, two days apart, scheduled before their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on 17 August. To say Chelsea are playing catch-up is a severe understatement. That said, this is probably the most exciting period for Chelsea since the Champions League triumph in 2021. With the exception of goalkeeper and possibly centre-back, Enzo Maresca has a claim to having two elite players in every position and he could yet add further depth with Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho heavily linked. Departures will be needed to trim the fat and balance the books – Chelsea were given a €31m (£27m) fine last month by Uefa for breaking financial rules – but few would argue against them having the deepest squad in the league and one of Maresca's biggest challenges will be maintaining harmony and continuity, on and off the pitch. Last season, the Conference League was a useful chance to rest and rotate players. The Champions League will not be so accommodating. As recently as April, Maresca was at odds with the Chelsea fans and appeared to blame a negative environment at Stamford Bridge for a 2-2 home draw with Ipswich that left top-five hopes fading fast. But five wins from the final six league games secured fourth place, saving Chelsea's season and possibly Maresca's job. 'They were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough,' he said. 'Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. So in English, how do you say? Eff-off to all of them.' Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph – and the tactical masterclass by Maresca in the final to neutralise PSG's front three and create pockets of space for Cole Palmer – means he will get a very different reception at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's league opener. Chelsea's much-maligned financial gymnastics of recent years – the eight-year contract amortisation (a loophole closed by Uefa), the sale of their hugely successful women's team (to their own parent company) and their rampant use of multiclub ownership and the loan system – have infuriated rivals and allowed them to assemble one of the deepest, youngest, most talented squads around. In the Todd Boehly era, Chelsea have spent more than £1.5bn and the club face an additional €60m fine from Uefa if they fail to comply with regulations over the next four years. A bigger stadium would help, but what Chelsea do with Stamford Bridge remains unclear; the 40,044-capacity ground is not easily developed given challenges ranging from the freehold to a nearby railway line. A move to Earl's Court has been mooted. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Estêvão was courted by PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich and is widely regarded as the biggest talent to come out of Brazil since Vinícius Júnior. The 18-year-old's performances at the Club World Cup – including a brilliant strike for Palmeiras against Chelsea in the quarter-final – suggests that the summer arrival is already world class. Players swooned over the teenager at the final whistle in Philadelphia – 'I told Estêvão: 'We are excited for you to join' but he didn't understand a single word I said,' Palmer said after swapping shirts with the £52m signing. Capable off both wings or as a No 10, the slender Estêvão will want to impress the former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, now of Brazil, before the World Cup next summer. 'He potentially can be a top defender for this club,' Maresca said of Josh Acheampong after the defender's performances at the Club World Cup prompted whispers that several clubs in England and Europe were tracking the teenager. How the 19-year-old fits into Maresca's plans remains to be seen, but his versatility, 6ft 3in stature and composure enabled him to enjoy a breakthrough year with 13 first-team appearances. Naturally a right-back or a centre-back but capable of playing anywhere across the backline, Acheampong joined Chelsea as an under-eight and signed a new five-year contract in 2024. 'The clubs that were mentioned, they like Josh, but we also like Josh,' Maresca said. 'The best plan for Josh is to be with us.' Roméo Lavia. The 21-year-old's quality is not in question. Chelsea are a better side with Lavia, more fluid and press-resistant, and he was sensational in a 3-1 win against Liverpool in May when he completed 100% of his passes. Maresca even moved Moisés Caicedo to right-back to accommodate Lavia alongside Enzo Fernández at the back end of last season, but concerns remain over the Belgian's fitness. After a first year when he managed 32 minutes in 2023-24, another injury-hit campaign followed, starting 11 league games. Another year on the sidelines could spell trouble, particularly as Chelsea have Caicedo, Fernández, Dário Essugo, the impressive Andrey Santos and perhaps Reece James competing for two spots in defensive midfield in Maresca's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Vancouver makes a splash, signing Thomas Müller after Bayern Munich exit
Former Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller in joining the Vancouver Whitecaps in arguably the biggest signing in club history. Müller, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, will join the Whitecaps for the remainder of the season in an open roster spot. Terms of the deal were not released. It includes an option that would make Müller a Designated Player for 2026. 'Whitecaps – let's make history,' Müller said in a video he posted online Wednesday that showed him unboxing a Vancouver jersey. The 35-year-old Müller has spent the last 17 years with Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, helping the club win 13 league championships and 33 total titles during that span. He scored 250 goals in 756 appearances with Bayern across all competitions, but his contract was not renewed after last season. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Müller scored five goals. He also scored five goals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, winning the Golden Boot. Müller's final match with Bayern came this summer at the Club World Cup, losing 2-0 in the quarter-finals to Paris Saint-Germain in Atlanta. He came into the match as a late substitute. Müller joined Bayern's academy as a 10-year-old in 2000. He made his senior debut under Jürgen Klinsmann in 2008 and his breakthrough came under Louis van Gaal the following season. The club announced in a joint statement in April that it would be his last season. In a post on social media, Müller said he understood Bayern's decision 'even if this did not reflect my personal wishes.' 'Thomas Müller is the definition of a Bavarian fairytale career; he grew in Bavaria and with Bayern,' club president Herbert Hainer said. 'Nobody has won more Bundesliga titles, and 33 trophies in total so far speak volumes. He ranks among the most outstanding personalities in FC Bayern history.' Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion Müller retired from international soccer after last year's European Championship, having scored 45 goals in 131 appearances for Germany. The Whitecaps obtained Müller's MLS discovery rights from FC Cincinnati in exchange for up to $400,000 in General Allocation Money to complete the signing. He will occupy an international roster spot. 'Thomas is a natural leader whose passion for the game is infectious. This is a statement signing by our club and our ownership – a transformative moment for our club and our city,' Vancouver sporting director and CEO Axel Schuster said in statement. Müller is set to arrive in Vancouver next week. His first practice and introductory news conference with the club are scheduled for Thursday. In a video provided by the Whitecaps, Müller said: 'They (the fans) can expect that I'm always 100%. You can watch my skills in YouTube videos or several TV shows, but you can expect that I'm fully into it. And for me, that's the most important part.' The Whitecaps (13-5-6) are second in the MLS Western Conference standings behind expansion San Diego FC.
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Son Heung-min admits Los Angeles FC move was not his first choice
At an introductory press conference in Los Angeles, the South Korea international admitted he had to be persuaded of the merits of moving to the United States before signing an initial two-year deal. New Beginnings ☀️ Welcome to Los Angeles, Sonny! — LAFC (@LAFC) August 6, 2025 'They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,' Son said. 'If I'm honest it was not my first choice but John (Thorrington, LAFC general manager) was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind, he changed my heart. 'I'm so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance. I'm here to win and I will perform. 'I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football and we will have success.' Son added that the decision to leave Spurs had left him feeling 'very empty'. 'I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new chapter and new challenge and I chose LAFC. I'm old but I still have good physicality, good legs and I still have good quality.' Earlier Son had issued an heartfelt message to Tottenham fans on making the 'hardest decision ever' to leave north London. 'How to find the right words for this? I don't know. I have been thinking for days. It's impossible. But here I go,' Son wrote. 'It's time for me to say goodbye to Tottenham Hotspur. My home for the past decade. When I arrived in 2015, I didn't speak English, I didn't know London, but you welcomed me with open arms, believed in me, and stood by me through every high and low. 'I was just a boy from Korea with big dreams who was supposed to have no chance. And now, 10 years later, North London is in my heart forever. Dear Spurs fans… Sonny's letter to you 🤍 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 6, 2025 'I've made friends for life here, had the honour of becoming a godfather here, and had the privilege of captaining our special club here. I've poured my heart and soul into this club, which makes this the hardest decision ever. 'I thought if I was ever going to leave, it would have to be on my terms, on the best terms, when our mission had been accomplished together. With pride and honour.' Son joined Spurs in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen. Alongside old partner in crime Harry Kane, Son holds the record for the most goal involvements by a duo in the Premier League, with the pair assisting each other on a record 47 occasions in the competition. Son's performance helped turn Tottenham into title contenders when they finished second in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino in 2017, finishing as runners-up in the Champions League two years later. After Kane left for Bayern Munich, Son became Spurs captain under Ange Postecoglou, lifting the Europa League trophy in May – having come off the bench in the final against Manchester United, a 1-0 Spurs win, after an injury-affected campaign. The popular South Korean will renew acquaintances with Hugo Lloris and move to Los Angeles, which boasts one of the largest Korean populations in the world, ahead of next summer's World Cup in the United States.
