Turkish forward reaps rewards from Eusebio Di Francesco’s new tactical approach with four goals in three gamesUdinese were served with ample notice of Cengiz Under’s threat. The Roma forward had scored three times in two games leading into his visit to the Stadio Friuli on Saturday but more explicit were the words of his manager. “He has this great quality of being able to line up his shot while still hiding it,” explained Eusebio Di Francesco. “Just like [Vincenzo] Montella used to do.”Forewarned but not forearmed. How does anyone prepare for something they cannot see coming? There were just under 70 minutes on the clock when Under took a pass a few yards outside the area, turned, glanced and in...
From Juventus and Spurs’ intriguing battle to Chelsea’s forbidding meeting with Barcelona and a likely stroll for Bayern, we look over all eight last-16 matchupsTuesday, St Jakob-Park and Wednesday 7 March, Etihad Related: New era edges closer as Tottenham seek to draw a line under austerity years | David Hytner Related: Antonio Conte will not resign as pressure builds on Chelsea manager Continue reading...
The Partenopei lead Juve by a point in Italy, where 10 of the last 11 Serie A winners were ‘winter champions’, but memories of that exception remainIt was fitting that Marek Hamsik should grab the winner on Friday night: a record-breaking player adding a final exclamation mark to his team’s record-breaking year. He had overtaken Diego Maradona as Napoli’s all-time leading scorer in Serie A with a strike against Sampdoria just before Christmas. Now he had sunk Crotone with a cool left-foot finish at the Stadio Ezio Scida.This was one of those nights when Napoli should have had a hatful, raining in 23 shots on Alex Cordaz’s goal. As it was, one would suffice to secure their 18th away win...
Recruitment, injuries and the sale of Nemanja Matic are among the reasons why Antonio Conte’s side have fallen away so spectacularly. At board level there is some sympathy for the manager but patience is finiteA few of the locals called out to Antonio Conte as he trudged up the ramp towards the Chelsea team bus post-match, head bowed to avoid eye contact and hands sunk deep in his pockets, but most had sensed it was no time to bid a fond farewell. The Italian had that thunderous look about him, the kind that sets in when his team have been beaten. Except this had been a humiliation, and an occasion which had left him publicly questioning the most basic qualities...
The champions picked up more knocks in the 3-3 draw with Roma but it is the mood of their manager that must be most vexing for the Stamford Bridge boardWho says the Champions League group‑stage games are boring? Anyone who does should have been at Stamford Bridge on an evening when the early scent of smoke in the air preceded a firecracker of a match between teams who sit fifth in their respective top flights. Six goals and enough passages of enthralling play to leave everyone in attendance giddy on the spectacle of it all.Or perhaps not, if Antonio Conte’s reaction to the final whistle was anything to go by. While the majority caught their breath, the Italian grimaced, politely...