Conte relieved to have striker solutions in Giroud & Morata
Chelsea host Barcelona
LONDON, Feb 13, (AFP): Antonio Conte is relieved to have options again up front in Olivier Giroud and fit-again Alvaro Morata ahead of what the Italian says is a “massive” few weeks for Chelsea.
Giroud’s touch set up Eden Hazard for the opening goal as Chelsea rolled over rock-bottom West Bromwich Albion 3-0 on Monday.
It moved them back into the Premier League top four and eased the mounting pressure on Conte following shock defeats to Bournemouth and Watford in their previous two outings.
Conte had been unable to name a recognised striker in either of those matches with Morata sidelined for nearly a month due to a back injury and Giroud
“We want to go to the next round (against Hull) then to prepare the game against Barcelona and then United and City. Three massive games for us.”
Chelsea’s recent slump and Conte’s outspoken comments over his lack of input to the club’s recruitment strategy had seen the odds slashed on him becoming the latest coach to be fired by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
But the Chelsea fans showed they were still fully behind Conte by chanting his name continuously throughout the second half.
“For sure to feel this atmosphere around me is very important,” added Conte.
“It’s very important to feel the people is appreciating my work here in Chelsea.
“Me and the players, we are trying to do our best to give them the best satisfaction. “Sometimes we are able to do this, sometimes we are not able, but the will is always present.”
A strike from Victor Moses and Hazard’s brilliant second of the game rounded off another costly night for West Brom, who are seven points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and lost Daniel Sturridge to a hamstring injury. this tie.
“I am just trying to get on with my work. This is my passion,” said Zidane, who has won eight trophies as Real coach. “I have nothing that I need to demonstrate.”
The tie is a special one for the Marseille-born Zidane, as he faces a French club for the first time since being appointed Real coach in January 2016. The second leg will be in Paris on March 6.
“Playing against PSG as someone from Marseille, there has always been a rivalry there, but I’m not going to think about that. I just want a beautiful game of football.”
Zidane got the full backing of Real’s Brazilian left-back Marcelo, who said the former World Cup winner has a great relationship with the stars in the Madrid dressing room.
“He is a person who is very close to us and who helped us so much when he arrived here,” said the 29-year-old.
“He is a great coach who has done so much for this team and will keep on doing so to get things back to how they used to be.”
Marcelo will be coming up against his international teammate Neymar, who he claimed ahead of the game in an interview with Brazilian television would “one day play for Real Madrid”.
“Madrid fans like good players, and Neymar is a world star. Any fan would like to have Neymar in their team,” he added on Tuesday.
Real, though, are wary of the threats elsewhere in a PSG side also featuring the likes of Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe. rebel-held territory.
“When I first arrived in Idlib, I didn’t know anyone. I just thought of the past. I didn’t want to work, go out. I didn’t like to see people or let them see me,” says Abu Ali.
But when he found the football team, he says, it was like getting “a new life”.
“I lost a limb but life goes on -I want to live my life as positively as possible. I want to play football, swim, come and go.”
Founded just over a year ago, the rehabilitation centre that runs the football sessions is housed in Idlib’s Specialist Hospital.
It has treated some 900 warwounded, including men and women of all ages with injuries ranging from simple fractures to amputations, says physiotherapist Mohammad Marea.
“We had a psychological objective in training these guys but also wanted to target their morale,” Marea tells AFP.
“Thank God, they responded quickly and happily, accepting the idea wholeheartedly,” says Marea.
Next the centre plans on setting up bodybuilding and swimming classes.
Footballers train two or three times a week, for sessions of up to