Frustrated Della Valle still angry at Ovrebo
March 10, 2010
Andrea Della Valle continued to blast Tom Henning Ovrebo. The Fiorentina president blamed the Norwegian referee for his side’s exit.
Fiorentina beat Bayern München 3-2, but still went out on the away goals rule, 4-4 on aggregate, after Ovrebo and his linesman allowed a Miroslav Klose strike that was several yards offside in the first leg.
“It’s a shame, as we showed how you play football. When the draw came out their players said they’d win 5-0, but instead we go out with a victory and the complicity of Ovrebo,” said Della Valle.
“Winning 3-2 and not thinking back to the first leg is impossible, the mind will wander back there and the fans have to express their frustration.”
Now La Viola must focus on the Serie A, where they are struggling and unlikely to qualify for the Champions League next season.
“We have our heads held high and the fans should be proud of this team, as it played great football and was more than equal to Bayern.
“It may not be worth anything, but it’s good for morale, at least. I can’t believe such a great squad is in 10th place in Serie A.
“It’s tough to get back into the Champions League places, as we are a bit out of it by now, but there is the Europa League and the Coppa Italia. We’ll see.”
Tags: aggregate, andrea della valle, champions league, complicity, coppa italia, fiorentina, frustration, linesman, miroslav klose, offside, referee, tom henning, violaRelated posts
Blues on Ancelotti´s wavelength as Rovers await
October 24, 2009
Carlo Ancelotti’s English might still be a work in progress, but the Italian is currently happy for Chelsea to provide eloquence on his behalf.
On every occasion the west Londoners have been asked a taxing question since Ancelotti took charge, they have provided an articulate response.
A shambolic defeat at Wigan was followed by a brutally efficient win over Liverpool; then, just when their credentials appeared to be undermined by another notable wobble, this time at Aston Villa, they reaffirmed them in stylish fashion with a 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid.
It all makes ominous reading for Blackburn Rovers ahead of their visit to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Chelsea may have been prone to the odd bout of brain-freeze on their travels this term, but their imperiousness on home soil has been a throwback to the days of Jose Mourinho.
Four wins out of four in the English Premier League, including 10 goals for and just one against, are the kind of statistics which usually add up to a title challenge.
Chelsea are also one step ahead of their rivals in a different form of numbers game.
The club’s serene progress in the Champions League this season, where they have won all three games without conceding, is a mark of their strength in depth.
They have not once been able to call upon Didier Drogba, their talismanic striker, due to the three-match European ban awarded for his foul-mouthed rant at Tom Henning Ovrebo, the referee for last season’s semi-final with Barcelona.
Chelsea’s ability to shrug off adversity is in stark contrast to some of their title rivals, most obviously Liverpool, who have laboured in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, a point that has not gone unnoticed at Stamford Bridge.
“We’re very fortunate at Chelsea,” Frank Lampard, their England midfielder, said.
“Since Roman Abramovich came, we’ve had a lot of strength in depth – like with Salomon Kalou scoring twice against Atletico with Didier Drogba being out.
“People said we would struggle without Didier, but we didn’t. If you take Torres out of their team, who do they (Liverpool) bring in?
“It’s difficult. We have players that are not here only to make up the numbers, but players that are fighting and working hard every day in training to come in and really prove themselves.”
Lampard had failed to score from open play for his club all season until he plundered Chelsea’s third goal against Atletico with a typically crisp long-range drive.
Presumably, any relief felt by Lampard will have been mirrored by Ancelotti.
Sam Allardyce’s Blackburn have lost all three league games on their travels, leaking 11 goals in the process, and were thrashed 6-2 by Arsenal in their last outing to the capital.
They might venture south buoyed by their east Lanacashire derby win over Burnley, but few of their fans will be travelling with great expectations.
“Looking at the fixtures, beating Burnley gives us a better opportunity to nick something from the next two games than we would otherwise have done,” maintained Allardyce.
“It was a great three points bearing in mind it was a local derby and that our next two away games are Chelsea and Manchester United.
“It was important we got to 10 points as quickly as possible as these fixtures are going to be difficult.”
LONDON (AFP)
Tags: Barcelona, brain freeze, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, didier drogba, eloquence, English Premier League, Fernando Torres, four wins, frank lampard, home soil, Jose, jose mourinho, Liverpool, london, MADRID, Manchester, numbers game, premier league, roman abramovich, Salomon Kalou, Sam, stamford bridge, stark contrast, Steven Gerrard, stylish fashion, title challenge, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, wobbleRelated posts
Chelsea´s Ancelotti prays for more Anelka magic
October 21, 2009
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will be praying for another dose of Champions League magic from Nicolas Anelka as the Blues bid to erase the memory of their recent domestic difficulties.
Ancelotti’s side reeled off eight successive wins at the start of the season to widespread acclaim, but the wheels have come off Chelsea’s bandwagon after defeats at Wigan and Aston Villa.
The west London club’s 2-1 loss at Villa on Saturday wasn’t as shocking as the Wigan embarrassment, but it cost Chelsea their place on top of the Premier League and raised questions about Ancelotti’s defence, whose shoddy marking was exposed at two set-pieces.
Suddenly Chelsea don’t look quite so all-conquering, but they have a chance to get back on track in Wednesday’s European clash against Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge.
Victories over Porto and Apoel Nicosia have put Ancelotti’s team top of Group D and three points against Atletico would all but secure their place in the knockout stages.
If Chelsea do get another win it would be little surprise if the decisive blow is delivered by France striker Anelka.
The former Real Madrid star has scored both of the Blues’ match-winning goals in the Champions League this season and his form in Europe has helped to overcome the absence of suspended Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba.
Drogba was banned for three games by UEFA following his rant at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo following their controversial semi-final defeat against Barcelona last season.
But Anelka has thrived in Drogba’s absence and he claims playing alongside adaptable forwards like Nwankwo Kanu and Dennis Bergkamp during his time at Arsenal has been instrumental in his success at leading the attack.
“You know when you play with big players like Bergkamp or Kanu that you will learn – I have learned from a lot of people that I’ve played with and tried to take a little bit from all of them,” Anelka said.
“I am a striker but not at the top of the team and I’m still in the centre of the pitch – a bit like the position Dennis Bergkamp used to play.
“He used to play for Arsenal like that when I was there, not like a striker, but not a number 10 or a midfield player either.
“You play between the number 10 position and the centre-forward position, that’s nine-and-a-half.
“In the position I play you need to know before you get the ball where your team-mates are and try to be clever because in modern football doing something clever is advantageous.
“I’m not sure if too many other players like playing in this position but I enjoy it a lot.
“You have to be very clever now. It is not enough just to be a very good footballer or very athletic, because if you do not have the intelligence to make the right decisions on the pitch, I don’t think you will make it at the highest level.”
Atletico, who travel to England on the back of a dismal 3-0 defeat at Osasuna, are languishing in the lower reaches of La Liga as well as sitting bottom of their European group.
Under-pressure boss Abel Resino needs a big performance from former Manchester United Diego Forlan – last season’s European golden boot winner.
Forlan said: “Things haven’t been going so well and I think we have been playing with a bit of anxiety.
“But I’ve got confidence in the squad we have and I think we can turn it around soon enough.”
LONDON (AFP)
Tags: Abel Resino, apoel, aston villa, atletico madrid, Barcelona, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, decisive blow, dennis bergkamp, diego forlan, domestic difficulties, England, Europe, France, london, london club, MADRID, Manchester, Nicolas Anelka, Nicosia, nwankwo kanu, PORTO, premier league, real madrid, set pieces, stamford bridge, three games, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, west london, WiganRelated posts
Anelka strike enough for unconvincing Chelsea
September 16, 2009
Chelsea kicked off their Champions League campaign in unconvincing fashion as Nicolas Anelka’s goal clinched a barely-deserved 1-0 win over Porto on Tuesday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team spluttered for long periods at Stamford Bridge but Anelka’s superb finish early in the second half was enough to kill off the Portuguese champions.
Porto ended with 10 men after Fernando was sent off for a second booking following his rash challenge on Ashley Cole.
The Blues will have to improve significantly to end their long wait to win Europe’s elite club competition, but the return of suspended striker Didier Drogba, who is banned for two more matches, should make a major difference.
“I was not anxious but at the end of the match we had difficulty to control the Porto attacks. We didn’t keep the ball and control the game,” Ancelotti said.
“It is good for us to win and also to have difficulties because we can learn from it.
“We can’t always play the best, we have to win without playing well. This is another important thing for a team.”
Porto boss Jesualdo Ferreira added: “It is very difficult to swallow this result. We conceded a goal that was a bit unfair on us but controlled the second half very well after that.
“We were a little bit unlucky not to score because we had more of the ball.”
With Drogba and Jose Bosingwa absent following their rants at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after last season’s semi-final defeat to Barcelona, Blues boss Ancelotti brought in Branislav Ivanovic at right-back, while Salomon Kalou partnered Anelka up front.
England winger Joe Cole was on the bench after recovering from the knee injury that has kept him out since January.
On the eve of the match Ancelotti had told his players that a place in the final is the minimum he expects from a squad of such talent and experience.
But Ancelotti has no need to set targets for his players in Europe. As the list of agonising near-misses in the Champions League continues to grow, achieving success in the competition has become an obsession at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues made a bright start as they returned to European action for the first time since Ovrebo’s controversial penalty decisions and Andres Iniesta’s last-gasp goal ended Chelsea’s challenge in May.
Frank Lampard seized his first shooting opportunity with a dipping long-range effort that Porto keeper Helton pushed away for a corner.
Bruno Alves was fortunate to avoid punishment for an elbow on John Terry but Ferreira’s side showed no signs of an inferiority complex.
They went close to taking the lead twice in quick succession when Brazilian forward Hulk tested Petr Cech with a swerving strike before Cristian Rodriguez headed over from the resulting corner.
Lampard’s stooping header from Ivanovic’s cross forced Helton into a fine stop but Chelsea laboured as the half wore on.
As Chelsea passes went astray with increasing regularity, Porto were able to push forward. Fredy Guarain looped a header just over, while Raul Meireles should have done better than nod tamely at Cech.
The torrential rain soaking west London had also hindered Chelsea’s passing, but they emerged after half-time in a more focused mood.
Ancelotti’s side were ahead within three minutes of the re-start as Kalou poked a pass through to Anelka. The France striker’s first effort was saved by Helton but he pounced on the rebound and whipped a brilliant strike back past the keeper from an acute angle.
Porto had failed to win on any of their previous 13 visits to England and their frustration was clear when Fucile made an ugly two-footed lunge on Florent Malouda.
Only a fine save from Helton, pushing away Kalou’s diving header, denied Chelsea a second goal moments later.
Yet in the closing stages Chelsea reverted to the sloppy play that marred their first half. Guarin should have made them pay but shot straight at Cech after Porto cut through the home defence.
Cech preserved Chelsea’s lead in the final moments as he clawed away an awkward shot from Silvestre Verela, then Fernando saw red for his foul on Cole in stoppage time.
LONDON (AFP)
Tags: achieving success, ashley cole, carlo ancelotti, club competition, Drogba, elite club, Ferreira, ivanovic, Joe Cole, knee injury, league campaign, long periods, long wait, Nicolas Anelka, referee, salomon, stamford bridge, tom henning, wingerRelated posts
Drogba signs new three-year deal at Chelsea
August 5, 2009
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba signed a new three-year contract with the Premier League club on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old is now tied to Chelsea until 2012 after extending his current deal, which had a year to run, by a further two years.
The Ivory Coast international looked on his way out of Stamford Bridge last season after being dropped by Luiz Felipe Scolari, but he played his way back into form under Guus Hiddink and scored in Chelsea’s FA Cup final victory over Everton.
He was also involved in a controversial clash with referee Tom Henning Ovrebo following Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final exit against Barcelona which earned the former Marseille star a three-match European ban.
But Drogba’s new deal, which is reported to be have raised his wages to around 100,000 pounds a week, is the perfect tonic for Chelsea after AC Milan on Wednesday refused to sell Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, the top transfer target for new Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti.
“I have decided to extend my contract with Chelsea for two extra years and I am very happy and proud to continue to wear the blue of Chelsea until then,” Drogba told Chelsea’s website.
“I love the club, I feel good here and I want to continue to win titles with them.
“I stay because I am ambitious to pick up lots more trophies, regain the Premier League title, win cups. It is for this that I have extended my time at Chelsea.
“But my number one objective is to win the Champions League. I am convinced that this year we can go to the end and finally lift this trophy.
“I’d like to take advantage of this message to thank the Chelsea supporters, who have always encouraged me with fervour as well as my fans,” added Drogba, who was sent-off in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United which United went on to win on penalties.
LONDON (AFP)
Tags: ac milan, carlo ancelotti, champions league final, chelsea supporters, didier drogba, everton, fa cup final, final exit, final victory, hiddink, Ivory Coast, luiz felipe scolari, manchester united, midfielder, new blues, new deal, premier league, stamford bridge, target, tom henningRelated posts
UEFA reduce Drogba, Bosingwa bans on appeal
July 16, 2009
European football’s governing body UEFA on Wednesday agreed to reduce bans handed down to Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa for their angry outbursts which followed the club’s Champions League exit to Barcelona in May.
Drogba was originally given a fixed four-match ban and Bosingwa a three-match ban after they made controversial comments following Chelsea’s 1-1 second leg semi-final draw with eventual champions Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.
UEFA decided to reduce both players’ suspension by one game after Chelsea appealed.
A UEFA statement on the body’s website read: “Under the UEFA Appeals Body’s verdicts, Drogba will be suspended for five UEFA club competition matches – the last two of which will be deferred for a probationary period of three years – and (he) has been fined 15,000 euros.
“Bosingwa will be suspended for three UEFA club competition matches, the last of which is deferred for a probationary period of three years, and fined 10,000 euros.”
UEFA’s initial fine of 100,000 euros for the improper conduct of their players and the throwing of missiles by their fans stands, however.
In full earshot of the television cameras Drogba ranted at Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea conceded a last-gasp equaliser to exit the tournament on away goals.
The Blues also felt that Ovrebo should have awarded them several penalties.
Bosingwa then described Ovrebo as a “thief” in an interview on Portuguese television.
Both players later apologised and Bosingwa withdrew his comments.
Chelsea appealed the bans in the belief that the punishments “were unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances.”
NYON, Switzerland (AFP)
Tags: angry outbursts, Barcelona, body uefa, champions league, CHELSEA, club competition, controversial comments, didier drogba, earshot, governing body, improper conduct, Jose, jose bosingwa, last gasp, missiles, nyon switzerland, portuguese television, probationary period, punishments, referee, stamford bridge, Switzerland, television cameras, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, UEFA Champions LeagueRelated posts
Chelsea appeal against Drogba and Bosingwa bans
June 30, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea announced on Monday they’d appealed against the bans handed out to striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa by European football’s governing body UEFA earlier this month.
Drogba was given a four-match ban and Bosingwa a three-match ban, with other games suspended for their comments following Chelsea’s 1-1 second leg semi-final draw with eventual champions Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in May which saw the London club go out of the Champions League.
The Blues were also fined 85,000 pounds (100,000 euros) for the improper conduct of their players and the throwing of missiles by their fans.
“Chelsea Football Club can confirm it has today (Monday) lodged an appeal against the UEFA bans given to Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, and the fine imposed against the club,” said a Blues statement.
“We believe these punishments are unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances.
“We would reiterate that the players and the club are acutely aware of our responsibilities towards setting a good example as role models and upholding the values of the game.
“That is why honest and sincere apologies were made swiftly after these regrettable incidents occurred.”
Chelsea crashed out of Europe’s premier club competition after Andres Iniesta’s injury-time equaliser for Barcelona took the Catalans through to the final on the away goals rule.
The Blues had a number of penalty appeals turned down during the match by Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo and Ivory Coast international Drogba, who had been substituted, came back onto the pitch to swear at the official after the final whistle in front of watching TV cameras.
Portuguese defender Bosingwa, meanwhile, likened Ovrebo to a “thief” in a post-match interview before withdrawing his comments.
Tags: Andres Iniesta, Barcelona, body uefa, catalans, CHELSEA, club competition, didier drogba, Drogba, English Premier League, equaliser, Europe, governing body, improper conduct, injury time, Ivory Coast, Jose, jose bosingwa, london, london club, premier club, punishments, role models, sincere apologies, stamford bridge, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, tv cameras, UEFA Champions League, values of the gameRelated posts
Chelsea to appeal UEFA punishments
June 23, 2009
NYON, Switzerland (AFP) – English Premier League giants Chelsea appealed on Monday against the punishments meted out last week by UEFA over their behaviour following the Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona last month.
The club had originally announced that they would accept the decision of UEFA on the behaviour of Ivory Coast star striker Didier Drogba and Portuguese international fullback Jose Bosingwa – Chelsea were also fined 100,000 euros.
However, they have decided that after Drogba received a six match suspension two of which are suspended, while Bosingwa was handed a four-game ban, with one match suspended, last week that they will appeal.
UEFA’s judgement followed the angry scenes that marred Chelsea’s elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona after a 1-1 draw between the clubs in the second leg of their semi-final at Stamford Bridge on May 6.
“Drogba and Bosingwa were facing charges of being in breach of the principles of sportsmanship by insulting the referee and by making offensive comments,” read a statement on the UEFA website when they announced the decision.
“Drogba’s suspension applies to the next four UEFA club competition matches for which the player would be eligible, while Bosingwa’s suspension applies to the next three UEFA club competition matches for which the player would be eligible.”
Chelsea crashed out of Europe’s premier club competition after Andres Iniesta’s injury-time equaliser for Barcelona took the Catalans through to the final on the away goals rule.
The Blues had a number of penalty appeals turned down during the match by Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo and Drogba, who had been substituted, came back onto the pitch to harangue the official after the final whistle.
Tags: Andres Iniesta, angry scenes, Barcelona, catalans, CHELSEA, club competition, coast star, didier drogba, English Premier League, equaliser, Europe, fullback, game ban, injury time, Ivory Coast, Jose, jose bosingwa, nyon switzerland, offensive comments, premier club, punishments, stamford bridge, star striker, Switzerland, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, UEFA Champions LeagueRelated posts
Terry blasts Drogba and Bosingwa bans
June 20, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea captain John Terry on Friday criticised the punishments meted out to his team-mates Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa for their reactions to the club’s Champions League loss to Barcelona.
Ivorian striker Drogba was on Wednesday given a four-game European ban by UEFA, with two games suspended, while Portuguese full-back Bosingwa will have to miss three matches, with a further match suspended.
The pair were punished for their reactions to a 1-1 draw at home to Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League, when Andres Iniesta’s injury-time equaliser for the Catalans sent the London club out of the competition on the away goals rule.
Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo rejected a string of penalty appeals from Chelsea during the game and at the final whistle Drogba, who had been substituted, stormed onto the pitch to abuse the official, branding what had happened a “f…(expletive) disgrace” in front of watching TV cameras.
“What happened with Didier and the comments made after the game took the hype away from the referee a little bit,” Terry told British radio station talkSPORT.
“It was a very bad performance from him (Ovrebo), we all realised that. There were three or four clear penalty decisions that we should have had that night and that’s something as a fan and as a player you will never forget.
“It was disappointing. I would like the people in charge to take these things into perspective and realise that after the game Didier came out and apologised for his actions.
“I think he realises that kids were watching and he deserves a ban. But to that extent? I really don’t think so. Maybe a two-match ban.”
Bosingwa referred to the referee as a “thief” in a post-match interview before then retracting his comments and Terry felt that he, too, was harshly treated.
“Jose Bosingwa’s ban, I don’t know where that’s come from,” the England skipper said.
“Obviously every player was feeling what Bosingwa felt and thankfully nobody else said what he said. But he said what every fan and every player was thinking.
“Hopefully Chelsea can appeal and we can get that (the ban) down a little bit because we want those two players for the campaign next year.”
Tags: Andres Iniesta, Barcelona, british radio, catalans, CHELSEA, Drogba, England, england skipper, English Premier League, equaliser, expletive, injury time, ivorian, john terry, jose bosingwa, london, london club, punishments, radio station talksport, team mates, Terry, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, tv cameras, uefaRelated posts
Drogba want to make amends for Barca ref rant
May 29, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has offered to make a second apology to referee Tom Henning Ovrebo for his wild-eyed rant after Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final exit to Barcelona.
Drogba has already said sorry to Ovrebo once since the spectacular meltdown at Stamford Bridge but he has been charged by UEFA, the European game’s governing body, and is keen to make it clear how much he regrets the incident.
Ovrebo was criticised by Drogba and his Chelsea team-mates for rejecting four penalty appeals in the second leg clash.
Drogba was given a yellow card by the Norwegian official as he confronted him after the game and UEFA have since accused him of making offensive and insulting remarks towards the official.
Drogba, who is preparing for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Everton, insists he will apologise again if that’s what it takes to restore his battered reputation.
“The game has gone (Barcelona) and everything is finished,” he said. “I have apologised and if I have to, I will do it again. But now my objective is to win the FA Cup.
“I have played some games after that one and I think the spirit of the team and the way my friends and the club supported me was great.
“The FA Cup is a different competition but the good thing is that even though we are out of the Champions League the spirit has always been good and we are together.
“We were fighting for three trophies a few weeks ago and now we only have one. So we will do our best to win it.
“Some seasons you win more cups than the others, and I hope this year will have the same ending as when we beat Manchester United in 2007.
“Everybody thinks it is going to be an easy to game for Chelsea but we have to give a lot of respect to Everton, because of the way they finished the season. We have to concentrate.”
Tags: apologised, Barcelona, champions league, CHELSEA, didier drogba, English Premier League, fa cup final, final exit, governing body, insulting remarks, Ivory Coast, london, Manchester, manchester united, meltdown, rant, referee, stamford bridge, striker, team mates, tom henning, Tom Henning Ovrebo, trophies, yellow cardRelated posts
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