Chelsea
Cucurella admits Barcelona interest and criticises Chelsea’s direction
Cucurella admits Barcelona interest and questions Chelsea’s direction after Maresca’s exit. publicly
Marc Cucurella confirmed what had been simmering around Stamford Bridge, aligning his comments with earlier speculation about Enzo Fernández and Real Madrid. While team-mate Moisés Caicedo declined to add fuel to talk of exits, the left back allowed that a return to La Liga remains on his mind.
“At the end of the day, Spain is always Spain,” he said. “It’s my country and where I grew up, and you always think about going back, but I think I’d leave it for a few years.
“I’m very happy [in England], my family too, and as a life experience, it’s a very good one.”
Pressed on a possible move to Barcelona, where he came through as a youth player, Cucurella did not rule it out.
“Well, it’s clear that if something like that happens, it’s difficult to turn them down, but I’d have to consider it.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just about me. I’d also have to think about my family, maybe, what’s best for them or for all of us, but as I said before, I’m not thinking about that right now.
“If it happens, it happens, and we’ll see what we decide.”
Later the same day he delivered a frank assessment of the club’s current state, linking unrest in the squad to managerial upheaval. Tensions have been present since the exit of Enzo Maresca in January, a departure the player suggested was disruptive after 18 months of work together. The split followed reported conflict with a sporting hierarchy under pressure since new owners BlueCo arrived in 2022.
Maresca was succeeded by Liam Rosenior, who faces his own challenges after four straight defeats and a Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain, who had been beaten by the Blues in the Club World Cup last summer.
“Liam is a very good person and has been great at handling the group, the characters,” Cucurella insisted to The Athletic . “He likes to stay close to us and his football ideas are good, but we don’t have the time to train them.”
Cucurella also defended Maresca and warned that frequent change has consequences: “With Enzo Maresca in charge, we were more stable, because we worked together for 18 months… It is what it is.”
That instability is compounded by a recruitment strategy favouring younger players and resale value over older experience. With Tosin Adarabioyo the oldest at 28, ahead of Robert Sánchez and 27-year-old Cucurella, the left back admitted the club’s “win later” approach has a psychological cost. “Results like [the PSG defeat] are always hard to take,” Cucurella said. “You are fighting and training every day only to realize, at the very end, that when games matter, we are still a bit away from the top level.
“I understand this is part of the club’s policy, and that they want to take this direction—signing young players and looking to the future. But, for all of us who are still here and want to win big things, moments like this make you feel discouraged. ]”
Chelsea
Chelsea’s final-day permutations to reach Europe
Final-day permutations: Chelsea must better Brighton or rely on Brentford and Sunderland results….
Chelsea enter the Premier League’s final day with European qualification still possible but narrowed to two routes: the Europa League or the Europa Conference League. As 2024–25 Europa Conference League winners and 2025 Club World Cup champions, expectation was higher after another summer of heavy investment. The Blues sit on 52 points and are out of reach of Bournemouth in sixth, meaning the realistic fight is for seventh to 10th.
Newcastle United, Everton and Fulham occupy 11th, 12th and 13th and sit three points behind Chelsea, but would need a significant swing in goal difference to overtake the Blues. The direct contenders for the two European places are Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Sunderland. Going into the final day two points separate the four sides. Seventh place secures Europa League football, eighth place the Conference League.
Table position and goal difference going into the last day are: Brighton +9 on 53 points; Chelsea +7 on 52 points; Brentford +3 on 52 points; Sunderland -7 on 51 points.
Chelsea cannot qualify for the Champions League. To reach the Europa League the Blues must better Brighton’s result. If Brighton beat Manchester United they will finish seventh and take at least Europa League qualification regardless of other outcomes. If Chelsea beat Sunderland they still require Brighton to drop points to move ahead of the Seagulls.
Brentford can overtake Chelsea only if they overturn the goal difference gap. That would require Brentford to beat Liverpool by a margin at Anfield at least four goals greater than Chelsea’s winning margin. A draw at the Stadium of Light still leaves seventh achievable for Chelsea only if Brentford fail to win and Brighton lose to Manchester United by at least two goals.
If Brighton take a point while Brentford do not win, Chelsea would finish eighth. A Brentford victory would see them overtake Chelsea and drop the Blues to ninth. If Chelsea lose to Sunderland, their European hopes end, with both Brighton and Sunderland finishing above them.
Arsenal
Tuchel’s England Midfield: Surprises, Omissions and the Case for Selected Creators
Tuchel’s World Cup midfield choices split opinion, notable omissions and intriguing inclusions. 2026
Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad announcement has prompted sharp debate over England’s midfield composition. The depth of options is clear, but several high-profile omissions and a handful of trusted inclusions have defined the list.
Cole Palmer is the absence attracting most attention. Once considered a near-certain pick for North America, an injury-hit start to the 2025–26 campaign interrupted his rhythm. He never fully recovered amid the chaos at Stamford Bridge and has been brutally axed by ex-Blues boss Tuchel.
Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White was also left out despite a remarkable goalscoring campaign; the 26-year-old appeared to have hit form at the perfect time. Manchester City’s Phil Foden is another notable absentee. Deeper in midfield, Adam Wharton’s omission surprised many after another fine season at Crystal Palace. Strong campaigns from Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Everton’s James Garner likewise went unrewarded.
Conor Gallagher and Curtis Jones, who have featured in previous squads, were judged not convincing enough this time. James Maddison never stood a chance after missing almost the entirety of the term through injury.
Jordan Henderson’s selection has drawn widespread ire. The 35-year-old is not even a guaranteed starter for Brentford, yet Tuchel has included him for his off-field character and leadership. “He’s unlikely to see too much game time, but he’s a valuable presence in the dressing room.” Whether that presence justifies a place is open to debate.
Among those who did make the cut, Kobbie Mainoo’s technical ability and progressive ball-carrying mark him out as a valuable midfield option after his Euro 2024 breakthrough. Ruben Amorim’s handling of the Manchester United youngster briefly threatened his place, but Michael Carrick’s subsequent reinvigoration returned him to consideration.
Eberechi Eze, typically deployed on the left wing for England but by trade an attacking midfielder, and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, a powerful and direct attacking option, offer distinct profiles. Elliot Anderson’s early England impact suggested he can bridge defence and attack, providing the kind of transitional mettle England may need at a major tournament.
Chelsea
Chelsea readies legal case over Enzo Maresca after reported City talks
Chelsea to seek compensation if Enzo Maresca joins City after alleged talks while at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea are preparing to pursue compensation from Manchester City if Enzo Maresca is appointed as Pep Guardiola’s successor this summer.
The club’s decision follows a turbulent start to the 2025–26 campaign after Maresca’s acrimonious and unforeseen exit from Stamford Bridge in January. Reports in the Telegraph say Chelsea’s argument rests on an allegation that Maresca informed the club of discussions with Manchester City while he remained employed by Chelsea.
Those close to Maresca have told The Guardian that Chelsea would be “entitled to demand a sizeable compensation package” if City appoint him. Compensation demands are routine where a manager under contract is the subject of interest from another club, though the circumstances here are different.
Maresca is no longer employed by Chelsea, which complicates the standard model for compensation. Nevertheless, the club could attempt to show a causal or perceived link between his departure in January and a later move to Manchester City, even with several months between events.
The rapid breakdown of the relationship between Maresca and Chelsea has not been publicly explained in detail. The published reports suggest the club sees potential culpability in what is described as external contact prior to his departure.
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has spoken publicly about the exit, saying Maresca wasn’t fired and his departure was “not a change [Chelsea] wanted to make.” He added that he could not say more for legal reasons.
If Chelsea proceed, the dispute would hinge on the timing and content of conversations that reportedly took place while Maresca was employed at Stamford Bridge and on whether those discussions justify a claim against Manchester City. Any formal legal action would aim to secure compensation should City complete an appointment that follows those reports.
