The Blues Brief

Article by e-Chelsea's Robert Wake

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e-Chelsea Weekly News Round Up

15 July – Diego Costa deal completed – Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce Diego Costa has today completed his transfer from Atletico Madrid by signing a five-year contract. Costa will wear the number 19 shirt, as he did previously at Atletico.

16 July – Chelsea Ladies 2-1 Arsenal Ladies – Yuki Ogimi’s well-struck shot and a wonderful free-kick from Ji So Yun early in the second half proved enough for the victory, with a Kelly Smith penalty the best the visitors could manage.

16 July – Wycombe Wanderers 0-5 Chelsea – Chelsea began their extensive pre-season campaign with a comprehensive victory in Matt Bloomfield’s testimonial match at Adams Park. A young Chelsea side took the lead after 20 minutes when Patrick Bamford neatly converted Nathan Ake’s cross. Chelsea changed most of their starting line-up at half time, and extended their lead 2 minutes into the second period when Izzy Brown smashed home Jay Dasilva’s cut back. John Terry slammed home Jeremie Boga’s corner 3 minutes later, and Branislav Ivanovic headed home Boga’s free kick on 66 minutes. Brown scored his second and Chelsea’s fifth with a beautifully placed shot from the edge of the box.

17 July – New contract for Oriol Romeu – Oriol Romeu has signed a new three-year contract keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2017.

18 July – Demba Ba moves to Besiktas – Senegalese striker Demba Ba has moved to Besiktas for an undisclosed fee. Ba scored 14 goals for The Blues in 51 appearances.

18 July – Filipe Luis deal completed – Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Filipe Luis from Atletico Madrid. The Brazilian defender has signed a three-year contract and will wear the no.3 shirt.

19 July – AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Chelsea – Chelsea struggled to overcome a spirited and committed Wimbledon side. Chelsea were caught cold in the very first minute when Alan Bennett headed home from a corner. Chelsea looked leggy, and fell further behind when Kurt Zouma got caught out of position and crudely upended Matt Tubbs inside the box. The journeyman goalscorer got up to convert the penalty himself. Chelsea with fresh legs introduced were much brighter after the break, but had showed little sign of getting back into the game until the 74th minute, when John Terry stabbed home Lewis Baker’s precise corner. Baker was the architect again on 82 minutes threading a ball through for Mohamed Salah to equalise. Chelsea pressed for a winner, and it duly came in the last minute when Terry met another Baker corner with a trademark thumping header into the roof of the net.

20 July – Chelsea Ladies 2-1 Manchester City Ladies – Second-half goals from Katie Chapman and Jackie Groenen sealed an important win for Chelsea as they increased the pressure on top-of-the-table Birmingham.

22 July – Spanish loan for Mario Pasalic – Mario Pasalic has completed a season-long loan deal to Spanish side Elche. The 19-year-old Croatian joined Chelsea from Hajduk Split earlier in the summer, and will spend the forthcoming campaign in Spain’s top division.

23 July – WAC RZ Pellets 1-1 Chelsea – Chelsea began their whistle-stop European tour with a hard fought draw against the Austrian’s in Klagenfurt. The home side took the lead on 54 minutes with a controversial, but ultimately correctly awarded goal from Oliveira Silva despite the best efforts of Petr Cech to keep it out. Cech did well a few minutes later to keep the visitors in the game, saving well from Wernitznig Christopher. Chelsea seemed set for an unlikely defeat, until Jeremie Boga produced a wonderful finish following a mazy run from halfway. It was a truly memorable goal from the youngster, and earned Chelsea a draw.

24 July – Lucas Piazon loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt – Lucas Piazon has today joined German side Eintracht Frankfurt on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old Brazilian spent last season on loan at Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem.

25 July – Patrick Van Aanholt joins Sunderland - Patrick van Aanholt has today joined Sunderland on a permanent transfer. The Dutch left-back moved to Stamford Bridge from PSV Eindhoven in 2007.

25 July – Didier Drogba returns to Chelsea - Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the return of Didier Drogba. The striker has signed a one-year contract. Drogba scored 157 goals in 341 appearances before departing in 2012. Welcome home Didier.

27 July – Chelsea Ladies 2-1 Bristol Academy Women - Chelsea heaped the pressure on Birmingham by going level on points with the Midlanders after the league leader’s game was postponed. Goals from Yuki Ogimi and Eniola Aluko were enough to give the Blues victory.

27 July – NK Olimpija Ljubljana 1-2 Chelsea – Chelsea recorded their third pre-season victory in Slovenia on Sunday. It was the first appearance for both Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa and both impressed. However, as at Wimbledon and in Austria, Chelsea trailed at the break, as Nik Kapun thumped home a shot past the otherwise impressive Matej Delac. As has generally been the case in pre-season, Chelsea’s second half performance was much improved, and they levelled the game on 56 minutes. The two new boys combined as Fabregas played Costa in to fire home his first goal for The Blues. Chelsea were now on top, and took the lead on 63 minutes. A short corner was worked to Fernando Torres who worked an opening and fired in a shot; Aleksander Seliga was only able to parry the shot into the path of Kurt Zouma who made no mistake from close range. Chelsea thought they had a third shortly afterwards when a goalmouth scramble resulted in a combination of Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry bundling the ball home. The referee initially awarded the goal, but then changed his decision, awarding the home side a free kick. Torres then managed to miss a sitter from 2 yards out, somehow contriving to chest the ball over the bar after good work by Nathan Ake down the left. The squad now travel to Arnhem for a game against Vitesse on Wednesday night.

28 July – Drogba takes No.15 – Didier Drogba will wear the number 15 shirt for the coming season, the same number he wore when he first signed for the club in 2004. Mohamed Salah wore 15 last season, but has taken Eden Hazard’s number 17 shirt, with Hazard taking number 10.

Looking Ahead

Tonight - Wednesday 30 July, 18:30hrs, Vitesse Arnhem v Chelsea (Result 1-3)

Sunday 03 August, 16:00hrs, Werder Bremen v Chelsea

Sunday 10 August, 19:45hrs, Ferencvaros (Away)

Tuesday 12 August, 19:45hrs, Real Sociedad (Home)

Additionally, Chelsea will play 2 x 45 minute training matches against Besiktas and Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Friday 08 August. Times to be confirmed.

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